The D&D Crоw Wizard With Two Brains Terrifies Me 

Thanks for watching everyone! What monster would you like to see covered next?

About their origin in "D&D Valhalla", probably it's a nod to the two crows that serve Odin, which could also explain their two-brained heads.

I think as a time wizard you have to make it cast and concentrate on "Slow" and "Haste" at the same time

Crows are known for picking through corpses on battlefields. After eons of making nests from magic items taken from fallen warriors they developed into what they are today.

These guys sound like perfect referees. Two sets of eyes to see any penalty, time magic to stop the fight, and flying to run away when people get pissed at their bad calls.

I thought the title said that the Crow Wizard had two brain CELLS.

This creature is slowly morphing into Kairos the Fateweaver, a Changer of Ways from Warhammer 40k.

The first thing that my head went to when you described the monster was "why the hell doesn't this thing have two heads?" Your rework makes way more sense and makes the creature feel a lot more unique. It also gives Tzench vibes from 40K

I feel like a Chronotyryn would be so amazing to run if you have a co-DM

Tzeench is pleased with this one I reckon

The Chrono Trigger music just made this video so much better. Edit: one correction - Ysgard is the D&D Valhalla, the plane of glorious battle by day and riotous feasting by night. Acheron is the plane of *fruitless* battle, where victory doesn't matter and there is no glory to be gained from battle as everything eventually rusts and crumbles.

2 head and 2 brains, one spots shinies and the other one plots how to get them

I think 2 heads fits it much better tbh, I'm surprised it didn't have them like that in the first place tbh

The god Janus had two faces where one could see the past and the other sees the future Janus is also used to refer to animals with polycephally. That really fits a two headed time obsessed crow and I would like to give it Janus like abilities with the spells foresight and legend lore as it sees visions.

A way I thought of introducing a chronotyrin while watching is to have the players come across a battle against minions of a hag who wants the chronotyrin's collection, but they're fighting a seemingly nonexistent foe after dispatching the illusions. The minions advance towards the lair and their movements suddenly slow to a crawl and they are dispatched one by one by a black blur. They players could potentially discern that the magics of slow and haste are in effect but the spells share the same origin, like an arcane signature each spellcaster leaves behind when they pluck at the weave.

As to a why they are from Acheron I can think of something, The 4th layer is a endless glacier in a black void full of tiny razor sharp fragments in the air that can slice you to ribbons. The glacier is said to be either the beginning or endpoint of the River Styx. Somewhere on the glacier is a massive library that holds some of the hardest to reach knowledge in the multiverse. So the things could be from there.

Might be weird to say, but I actually really liked the notes about how you redesigned and converted this creature to 5e. Any chance we could have MORE of that moving forward?

Ah, being able to always combo spells... I've always wanted to see Black Tentacles + Stinking Cloud - When a creature enters the affected area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 3d6 bludgeoning damage and be restrained by the tentacles until the spell ends. A creature that starts its turn in the area and is already restrained by the tentacles takes 3d6 bludgeoning damage. A creature restrained by the tentacles can use its action to make a Strength or Dexterity check (its choice) against your spell save DC. On a success, it frees itself. - You create a 20-foot-radius sphere of yellow, nauseating gas centered on a point within range. The cloud spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. Each creature that is completely within the cloud at the start of its turn must make a Constitution saving throw against poison. On a failed save, the creature spends its action that turn retching and reeling. Heavily obscured, restrained, taking damage over time, difficult terrain, and you can't even _attempt_ to escape the tentacles if you are restrained unless you pass the constitution save. And if you do escape, probably the rest of you party didn't, and now you're isolated while they're out of the fight. And the chrontyryn doesn't need to spend an action to maintain the debilitating conditions on the enemy group. Instead, they can cast fireball next turn -- and anyone unfortunate enough to be restrained has disadvantage on the saving throw. I know it's not the most broken combo -- but it might be the combo with the most synergy.

Love the "redesign" chapter. Like that you can go "hey here's the differences between the versions." Also the actual redesign, the one with two heads is awesome!

Everyone be CAWtious! They look like a couple of CROWnies to me! You know what they say, birds of a feather stick together!

As you went through this, I thought about using this as a base to make a Lord of Change... then you straight up made a version of Kairos Fateweaver. Well done.

I like the two headed redesign. It gives a definite source of two separate brains. It makes the two spells at once feel more plausible. I like the image of a two headed crow talking quietly with itself or arguing with its other head and trying to fly away from itself.

One head Knowledge Cleric and one head Chronurgy Wizard? Sounds brutal! I like it. The Knowledge Cleric can see into the future by reading the parties minds and predicting their actions. The Visions of the Past feature lets them see the histories of the things they find and allows them to track down new magic items. The Knowledge of the Ages feature lets them have high tool and skill proficiency for crafting stuff. Of course all of the tasty Chronurgy Wizard stuff. Very thematic and synergistic.

I already adore this monster and know EXACTLY how I want to use it. But I have a hypothetical question/suggestion.... What if each head had a separate spell list considering they do have two separate brains? This would lean into the idea of using powerful spell combos a bit more. It would reward players who are clever enough to keep track of which head knows what spell and figure out that rendering one head incapable of casting spells will neutralize a very large threat in the battle.

I think the redesign looks far cooler than the original art. And it fits with the 2 brains thing, like where was the original even supposed to keep that second brain?

Possible extra idea for limiting the chronotyryns spell combos further: if casting two spells on the same round, the two spells need to be of the same magic school. This wont remove all the overpowered options, but will remove a lot of em.

If you ever hear starlings going all out with their calls you can hear a corvid basically using two voice boxes at once. It’s wild

This has been one of my favorite monsters ever since I saw it when I was younger. I was wondering why it was so powerful and then found out it's just got double everything. Now as an adult I find myself thinking I can make it even more insane.

The change from two turns per turn to two initiatives is so subtle yet so brilliant! Also the spells built into the magic item so the players could possibly get their hands on is a great little reward for getting beat to a pulp by this beast lol

'An imperious two-headed Crow person with Mastery over magic and an obsession over time and the Arcane.' that's not a just D&D monster. That's a Daemon of Tzenntch from Warhammer

Maybe I’m late to the party but I’m a huge fan of the idea of holding them up as what the Kenku used to be before the curse that caused them to lose the ability to speak The gods they offended taking far more than just simple speech but massively hindering their capacity for thought entirely

I'm a big fan of horror campaigns, and for that purpose, this monster is pure gold Imagine a Chronotyryn that is the final boss of an entire horror-mystery whodunnit campaign, and the whole time the party is led to believe that the BBEG is just some really powerful wizard with too many screws loose, only for the final reveal to be this two-brained time-bending **thing**

I like how you're being careful not to offend any liches. You know, just in case. 😅

Loved the redesigned art. I think this is a wonderful addition. Thinking how not every art needs a redesign but could be cool to see it remimagined in a modern light.

Hellllll yeah, this new visual concept really makes me think of Kairos Fateweaver from the Warhammer universe, in the best possible way. Very different character concept but with similar two-headed magic bird man vibes I love this

I like the good 'ole idea of the two brains having different personalities and constantly fighting

I personally love these guys. I’ve used them as sort of neutral Liches in that they’re willing to bargain with the party in exchange for favors/parting with magic items. I’ve used them to tease powerful magic items to the party but make it necessary to do quests to qualify to trade for them.

So I see the thumbnail for the two-headed bird wizard and my first thought was "Oh, so this was what Games Workshop stole from WotC when they designed their bad blue birdy Kairos Fateweaver". I feel a bit better hearing you added that detail to your redesign based on the two brains thing.

I actually homebrewed a monster that has 2 turns for my own table. It is like an insectoid venom-like symbiote that another creature wears and the host and symbiote each have a turn. I was inspired to do that by Demogorgon who also got two turns in previous editions.

Listening to this and I start thinking about how I could bring one of these into my Ravenloft campaign, and then not even 30 seconds later you mention doing just that.

Personally I LOVE the redesign! Considering the two voices and everything I’m surprised they didn’t have it have two heads to begin with. Also DANG that art tho 👀✨

I love the redesign! Honestly giving it two heads works better on so many levels! ALso would love to see more on your redesign process in future videos!

I like the redesign. It's pretty simple, plus the updated design feels fitting for a creature that I'm sure most of us have never heard of before

Personally I think that its so much stranger and terrifying, gotcha excluded, to only have the one head. When it starts speaking, beak clacking erratically, in two voices in two conversations is so much more interesting to me. Its all about that reveal moment. In my opinion. If not for that or it is way more fair with two. I love the double initiative.

My high key favourite for the entire fiend folio from that edition. But I have to say, two heads is perfection, utter perfection. I very much appreciate the design in that, it's so perfect for foreshadowing it's abilities and is just wondrous for providing automatic justification, without the DM having to explain. Plus! Two initiatives, so much less clunky!! Now to figure out how to make that work in the roll20 tabletop! lol!

The idea of a remasterization for old videos seems like a good idea to me, at least I would definitely see them.

This is basically Karios Fateweaver as a D&D mob but honestly? I can dig it.

Thanks, Dad! I think it could be really fun roleplay to have an ancient, powerful Chronotyryn as a Warlock patron for a PC with time-themed spells/cantrips...and the PC is tasked with infiltrating the Plane of Time or even just capturing or manipulating Time Elementals. That's loads of potential quest hooks and RP moments all wrapped up around this one idea! (also, Chrono Trigger music = *chef's kiss*)

I really like the two heads. Previously I struggled to imagine how it could have two separate conversations at the same time, as both voices emerge from the same mouth (felt like it would be harder to hear) and it would either have to turn it's head back and forth or not look at who it is talking to at all.

Two-headed crow Mauler! Also very Tzeentchian.

Eyyyy! Another creature to make a whole quest about in a domain of dread campaign! Gosh, I love the idea that it would talk like those twins that always finish each other's sentences, but it's just switching between both of its heads mid discussion every few words. I can see a lot of character interaction potential with a giant two headed crow man who loves hoarding things, being half obsessed dude from an episode of hoarders, half pretentious prick who thinks he's smarter than the group, especially if there is a chronomancy wizard in the party who they'd see as a threat to being better than them. Lotsa ways to go with their personality depending on what you are looking for in an NPC.

You know who else has a genius level intellect besides this crow? Whoever chooses the clips for your videos. They are always so perfect lol

I like the idea of 2 heads. When you were describing it, and mentioned it only had one head, i thought this monster missed such a great opportunity. Convey to the party that this creature isn't just a big winged Kenku, and you can make the 2 heads have 2 different conversations without annoying your players (If they imagine the two heads, they'll think its cool, not, "man stop bouncing around different conversations"). I was thinking about giving it 2 seperate heads regardless of the desing, I much prefer your design.

Having one of these guys secretly running a kenku thieves guild would be really neat

here some of the meanest spell combos that I can think of the hot topic Dio pigeons could use: Animate spell + Meteor swarm Animate spell + Fireball Create water + any electricity damage spell

Sounds like they'd fit right in in New Crobuzon.

I'd go even farther with the two heads, and make them separate personalities. Then it fits in even better with the thing taking two completely separate turns in combat - one head or the other just happened to be more or less attentive, fast-thinking, etc, so they act at different times. 🙂

One of the most evil spell combos is dropping some kind of persistent area effect (Sickening Radiance is a perennial favorite, due to being a fairly low level spell that just healing won't save you from) and then dropping Forcecage as a cube, trapping the victims inside, unable to retaliate in any way, for the entire duration of the spell. Your take on the Chronotyryn doesn't get 7th level spells, but Wall of Force makes for a good approximation (but it's easier to leave through teleportation and still lets the trapped victims cast spells that only require line of sight).

24:42 Thank goodness it was clarified that the mug is, in fact, a real mug and not CGI! And like usual, excellent work! I can’t wait to take those creature and mash it into whatever hodgepodge of a campaign I have created, while also hoping my level 4 players don’t attack it. 🙏🏻

Also gotta say: love the two headed idea. (That art is great! Kudos to Akira, wowsers!)

I am so happy you came back to this creature. I also really like the design change to this monster.

I appreciate your use of videogame music and movies from my childhood. Thanks, dad!

Holy shit! I almost had a heart attack when I saw this come up in notifications. I've been working on a campaign that revolves around a flock of these mythical titans- this will be so helpful for fleshing it out for 5e. I find it quite interesting that most of the plot hooks you provided line up with what I had in mind- a Chronotitan interested in the undead energies beneath the earth residing in a labyrinth, and a forge-smart Chronotitan living inside of a mountain. Edit: If I really wanted to be mean, I'd have a Chronotitan start an encounter with a dualcast/twinned Fireball. That'd be really spicy.

Dungeon dad never ceases to inspire. Definitely including this guy as a mini boss for this next campaign.

These guys kinda remind me of the wandsmen from scp, with the whole giant bird people running around different dimensions and searching for knowledge and things, but a bit more selfish and evil. Honestly a super cool monster that I’m definitely interested in utilizing in the future

I think the two heads makes way more sense to me, specifically if it’s supposed to be able to speak to two creatures at one time because 1. Having two voice boxes still wouldn’t allow you to say two things at once, just make two pitches at once, but sounds are still articulated in the mouth and 2. If two voices came out of the same mouth it would almost definitely be completely unintelligible

I didn't even know about this monster at the time but it reminds me of a deity from a setting I've been making, Chrono'Corvik. Generally depicted as a two headed raven this deity is one of a select few deities that have the dominion of magic split between them so none holds the ultimate power in its entirety. Chrono'Corvik is the eldest of these and due to his or well their's unshakeable sense of duty they were given complete control over time magic, an extremely rare form of magic and a dangerous one. No time spell may function without Chrono'Corvik's blessing and they come down hard on anyone that has managed to circumvent its restrictions. Chrono'Corvik has seen what happens when time magic is used recklessly and is dedicated to limiting its use for the world's safety. Note: Technically each half of the name refers to a different head with Chrono being the left and Corvik the right.

That art looks awesome! Are all your future artworks going to be done by the same artist? Love the style

Powerful bird wizard with two heads that talks to itself and is greatly attuned to magic. Yo did we just get Kairos Fateweaver in D&D???

Love the redesign. I would love to take a buffed version of this and run it as a Kairos Fateweaver analogue.

Shardminds! They need something awsome and lore heavy to discuss. Also, I love the redesign with this monster

First use polymorph to choose a creature with less than 100 HP. Then use power word kill to kill the creature. Remember. Power word Kill does NOT deal damage. It kills the creature. That’s why this combo works.

Hypothetical if I grafted another head on it would it become smarter and stronger? If yes then how many heads can I graft on before it dies

I love the redraw!! 2 heads seems much more “monster-y” to me. Was also thinking that perhaps one brain held, say wizard spells, while the other was a sorcerer, warlock, etc.. would totally dial up the crazy town that this thing could deal out!! Thanks for your hard word!!

DM: "The Chronotyryn looks at you and mutters 'Caw Caw Real Smooth'." **Rolls dice** "You are now under the influence of Otto's Irresistible Dance, the dance party has begun. Crows and Kenku enter the room and start dancing with you. Roll against being intimidated."

Gotta get me one of those... *checks notes*... creepy time crow double brains so I can get shit done. Great stuff as always dude! That art rules so hard, and the redesign is super rad.

Most normal Tzzentch demon.

Hold person + Sickening Radiance = TPK. Plus a sackfull of Counterspell, Silvery Barbs, etc, and half the party will be out of the fight by round 3. Of course this is a good way to make the players choose another DM to game with too.

I like the 2 heads idea. A smart ettin sounds terrifying

certified crow wizard moment

A two-headed bird person/monster with powerful spellcasting and association with time? The chaos god Tzeench approves! Also it’s cool to imagine that their purpose on Acheron was to use time magic for the endless war. They allow the soldiers to respawn by reversing wounds across the plane.

Still have the most creative editing I've seen in years, love your content. Thank you for uploading ^^

Having him combine wall of force and cloudkill would be very ... detrimental

The original Kenku!

Two heads makes the "two brains" idea certainly a lot more easy to grasp, I like it!

I REALLY like the redesign section, it gives a lot of insight into the rewriting process. I hope to see more of it!

I love love the redesign, a much more elegant and interesting interpretation of the description. Love this monster!

The Asheron / Valhalla connection is because the overall monster is clearly Odin-inspired. Odin is OBSESSED with wisdom, and collecting more wisdom. He also wants to change the timeline / future / fate (which shows him dying to a giahuginn and muninnnt wolf). More obviously, he is assisted by two ravens which are named huginn and muninn aka thought and memory.

I really liked seeing more of the redesign process, hoping to see more of that in future videos

Love ur new credits, both a preview and nostalgia for old cartoons!!!

I love the redesign, the art is sick, and I love seeing creators supporting other creators :)

I love the redesign! It looks super cool, and I always appreciate the conversions to 5th edition you do. As a dungeon master, I find your videos inspiring. I’ve used a couple monsters I would have never known about if not for you :)

I loved getting a look at your redesign process, I'd love to see that in more videos

Honestly really like this video. Honestly part of me wishes we'd seen this kind of redesign and custom art for some of the other monsters you've covered. I really liked how you handled altering some of the stuff on the Chronotyrym stat block and not really leaving anything out so much as including them in alternate ways that makes it more manageable. Hope to see little things like that from time to time now. As for some of the prior monsters I wish got this redesign and custom art, here's just some of them: The Khayal and Qorrashi, Plush Golem, the Deathdrinker, and the Boneyard. The Khayal especially since there was only one bit of art for them.

I really enjoyed the redesign of the Chronotyryn you made, and I will be sure to include it in some of my games.

Here’s an idea. Maybe the Chronotyrant is being hunted for a special piece of its brain. When both of those are used together, they can make a special item that allows for a spell caster to focus on two spells at once.

I caught your deep dives into some dragon lore and I've been loving them man. I like how you go over the various editions they appeared in, when they first appeared, and how their lore's changed or been modified. It's fucking awesome.

I really like the redesign choices you made, thank you Dungeon Dad!!!

I knew it was time to party when you brought out the Chrono Trigger music! Shout out to the artist because damn it turned out magnificent. 10/10 video, you really wanted to make this new video far surpass your old work and you succeed.

Thank you for (re)making these monsters for 5e, after the debacle a few months back my creative drive had been at a stand still. Vids specifically like this keep me moving in a positive direction with my own creativity. So again, thanks