```metadata title: The Book of the Dead description: >- Herein are detailed a new class (the Dread Necromancer), many new spells, and numerous other options for players and DMs. tags: '' systems: - 5e renderer: legacy theme: 5ePHB ``` ```css undefined ``` \page
# Contents
- ### [3Introduction](#p3) - ### [4**The Forces of life and Death**](#p4) - #### [4What is Necromancy?](#p4) - #### [4What is Positive Energy?](#p4) - #### [5What is Negative Energy?](#p5) - #### [5What is an Undead](#p5) - #### [6Necrology](#p6) - ### [10**Races**](#p10) - ### [11**Classes**](#p11) - #### [11**Bard Colleges**](#p11) - #### [12**Cleric Domains**](#p12) - #### [14**Druid Circles**](#p14) - #### [15**Paladin Oaths**](#p15) - #### [16**Ranger Conclaves**](#p16) - #### [16**Sorcerous Origins**](#p16) - #### [17**Dread Necromancer**](#p17) - [21Path of the Nightmare](#p21) - [21Path of the Centurion](#p21) - [22Path of the Rider](#p22) - [23Path of the Spiritcatcher](#p23) - [24Path of the Plaguebringer](#p24) - [25Path of the Death Master](#p25) - [26Path of the Uttercold Lord](#p26) - ### [28**Backgrounds**](#p28) - ### [29**Equipment**](#p29) - ### [34**Customization Options**](#p34) - ### [38**New Spells**](#p38) - #### [38**Spell Lists**](#p38) - #### [42**Spell Descriptions**](#p42) - [42Cantrips](#p42) - [441st Level](#p44) - [542nd Level](#p54) - [633rd Level](#p63) - [734th Level](#p73) - [825th Level](#p82) - [906th Level](#p90) - [967th Level](#p96) - [1018th Level](#p101) - [1069th Level](#p106) - #### [111**Unusual Spells**](#p111) - [111Cyst Spells](#p111) - [113Wormbound Spellls](#p113) - [116Corrupt Spells](#p116) - ### [122**Gods of Undeath**](#p122) - ### [123**Other DM Options**](#p123) - #### [123**Spell Schools**](#p123) - #### [124**New Damage Types**](#p124) - #### [124**Undead Minions**](#p124) - #### [125**Deathless**](#p125) - #### [126**Variant Turning & Rebuking**](#p126) - #### [126**Animate Dead & Create Undead**](#p126) - #### [127**Haunting Presences**](#p127) - #### [129**Curses**](#p129) - #### [130**Dealing with Resurrection**](#p130) - #### [131**"Zombie, Do This!"**](#p131) - #### [131**Uncontrolled Zombies?**](#p131) - #### [132**Necromantic Rituals**](#p132) - #### [134**Dark Gifts**](#p134) - #### [136**Terrain**](#p136) - #### [138**Diseases**](#p138) - #### [140**Cursed Weather**](#p140) - #### [141**Special Equipment & Rewards**](#p141) - [141Magic Items](#p141) - [149Grafts](#p149) - [151Artifacts](#p151) - [152Magic Locations](#p152) - [153Positoxins](#p153) - ### [154**New Monsters**](#p154) - ### [254**Appendix: Other Resources**](#p254)
#### Extras **Created by [JAPG](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/user/JAPG).** Created using the Homebrewery, with formatting tips from [this document](http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/HJWLQsTwUZ). You can find my other Homebrewery works [here.](http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/user/JAPG) **Current Version:** [1.1](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/HJ-xEkR-77) **Cover image:** Necromancer Lich by [Daniel Comerci](http://www.danielcomerci.com/) \page
# Introduction This book is a collection of resources for both players and DMs, heavily themed around necromancy, undeath, and dark magic. Whether you are a DM looking to design a new villain, or a player dissatisfied with the options for a necromancer in the Player's Handbook, I hope you find this book useful. ### The Dread Necromancer In 5e, necromancer wizards are quite powerful, because wizards are powerful. However, necromancer wizards don't make particularly good necromancers. They end up playing much like any other wizard. The dread necromancer is a response to that problem. It is a highly specialized class that is the absolute master of necromancy, but unable to do much else. If you like the idea of having an unusually powerful minion, or specializing in fear effects, or having a legion at your beck and call, this class is for you. ### Spells What would a splatbook be without new spells? I have a metric ton of these. Most are converted from 3.5, with a fair amount pulled from AD&D. A few are of my own design. I generally balance towards the upper end of the curve—so my second level spells are balanced off of *blindness/deafness* or *suggestion*, not *enthrall* or *Melf's acid arrow.* However, I have also worked hard to ensure that they are not overpowered, with a few exceptions. It is my belief that 9th level spells, and content for 17th level or above in general, should be overpowered. If you disagree with how I have balanced things, feel free to nerf any of my spells. For obvious reasons, almost every spell here is in the necromancy school. This is definitely not meant to be a nerf to the other schools of magic! If you have a diviner or transmuter player, by all means, give them more options. But that falls outside the scope of this book, which is about necromancy. You can find some of my work for other classes [here](http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/H1WT-_qTmX). ``` ``` ### Monsters This book has a cornucopia of monsters, many of them from the excellent work *Libris Mortis.* Most of them are undead, though not all. Additionally, quite a few variant abilities are provided for some old favorites, and I've also incorporated many templates so that you can quickly build a zombie dragon or a bodak hydra. ### Other Stuff I've included a variety of other options for both players and DMs For players, there are subclasses, equipment, a new race, feats, and more. For DMs, I provide variant rules, advice on dealing with common quandries such as minionmancy and resurrection, and a variety of inspiration for creating necromancer NPCs and designing adventures featuring them. This is also where I put some rules about dark magic in general, such as cursed weather and terrain hazards. ### Adaptation By and large, the material below is setting-neutral. However, some of the gods exist in specific settings (Velsharoon in the Forgotten Realms, for instance), and a few assorted odds and ends have ties to specific settings (the Irian crystal, for instance, is tied to the plane of Irian in the Eberron setting). Some spell names are setting-specific as well, such as *Tvash-prull's bonefiddle*. If you are a player, talk to your DM about similar equivalents for your setting (Greyhawk has the god Mellifleur, who is very similar to Velsharoon, and there might be a notorious bard to take the place of Tvash-prull) or how they might fit in (perhaps in Planescape, the Irian crystal is found on the Plane of Positive Energy, or mined from the Quasielemental Plane of Mineral). If you are a DM, use your own imagination, look up what other DMs have done, or send me a message and I'll be happy to provide ideas! ### Personal Note Necromancy actually isn't my favorite school of magic; that's divination. However, I was overall rather satisfied with the depiction of diviners in 5e, while I was seriously disapppointed with necromancers. So I wrote this book to make necromancy more flavorful and more viable. I have spent hundreds of hours reading dozens of books to create this text. I hope you enjoy learning the secrets of the undead as much as I enjoyed writing them! >*“Come, let us explore the art of necromancy together.”* > > —Kazerabet, Angel of the Dark **Image used:** "Lich" by Battle for Wesnoth \page
# The Forces of Life and Death Before diving into the mechanics, I've written up a brief discussion of several concepts that must be discussed to properly understand necromancy and the undead. ## What is Necromancy? >*“Necromancy is not just one school of magic among many. It is an Art, one that requires the Artist’s entire devotion.”* > > —Kazerabet, Angel of the Dark Necromancy is perhaps the most maligned and least understood school of magic. In some regions, it is banned outright; in others, it forms the backbone of society. It is frequently feared, frequently distrusted, and there are those who say that good folk have no business involving themselves in it. But what really *is* necromancy? I shall begin by listing what it is not. - **Necromancy is not inherently evil.** It can certainly be applied to evil purposes, and indeed evil necromancers include some of the mightiest foes of good. But the school of magic, in and of itself, is not evil. - **Necromancy is not just reanimation of the dead.** One of the necromantic arts is reanimation, and reanimation makes up the majority of many a necromancer's interest. But the school has many other applications as well. - **Necromancy is not the exclusive domain of the wizard, nor the cleric.** Both have access to tricks and techniques the other lacks. Put simply, **necromancy is the school of magic that manipulates, creates, or destroys life or lifeforce.** It includes the animation of the dead and creation of the undead, the resurrection of the living, healing and life drain, and a variety of curses and debilitating spells. Necromancy often channels energy from either the Positive Energy Plane or the Negative Energy Plane. Sometimes, it manipulates lifeforce already present, such as in the *blindness/deafness* spell. ### Colors of Necromancy Three colors of necromancy exist: black, gray, and white. These do not deal with morality, but rather the spell's nature. Black necromancy is destructive, gray necromancy provides utility, and white necromancy heals. Note that destruction can be used for good, and healing for evil. #### Black Necromancy Black necromancy destroys or weakens life. Generally speaking, any necromancy spell that deals hit point damage or requires a saving throw is black necromancy. #### Gray Necromancy Spells that neither harm nor heal the living fall into gray necromancy. *Animate dead* belongs here, as the creation of a skeleton deals no harm—but ordering it to attack a village certainly does, while ordering it to save villagers is a decisively helpful act. *Astral projection* and *speak with dead* are two more gray spells. #### White Necromancy White necromancy helps; it does not harm. Spells such as *cure wounds*, *raise dead*, and *false life* are all white necromancy. >##### Different Colors > > The colors described here are different than the ones in the Complete Book of Necromancers. If you want to use that book's rules, have gray necromancy include most damaging and disabling spells, and black necromancy only the darkest and most fearsome ones, such as *necrotic termination.* \page
## What is Positive Energy? >*“Life is like anything, berk. Too much is just as bad as too little.”* > >—Kansmaath Hugh, planewalker Positive energy is power incarnate, the stuff that drives life. It fuels all living beings, from worms to humans to demon lords. It is creation, growth, vigor, and nothing can live without it. However, positive energy can be dangerous to the living. It can be channeled into searing destruction to overload flesh and spirit—many (though not all) spells that deal radiant damage use positive energy to kill. A common misconception is that positive energy is good. While it is certainly beneficial for a creature to have in moderation, it has no moral alignment any more than fire does. It is a force of nature. If you have access to the 3.5 book *Elder Evils*, the monster Ragnorra is a superb example of positive energy turned to wicked purposes. ## What is Negative Energy? >*“Anyone who's seen a rotten, decayed piece of wood that was once part of a vibrant, living tree tumbles to the forces embodied in the Negative Energy Plane.”* > >—Tarsheva Longreach, planewalker Negative energy is the polar opposite of positive energy, manifesting as the decay and entropy that ultimately befall all things. It withers flesh, rots corpses, and desiccates tissue. Every living thing has a drop inside them, as they age and grow weak, that drop expands into a lake. It also fuels undead. All undead, no matter their alignment, draw upon this wellspring of decay to exist. However, negative energy can either be used to destroy undead (withering their flesh further), or to repair and strengthen them (reinvigorating them with the power that drives them.) Negative energy is not evil. It cares nothing for alignment. It is comparable to fire or earth—an elemental building block of reality. It is gruesome, and even frightening, but it is necessary. If negative energy somehow stopped existing, nothing in the world would decay, and no resources would ever be returned to the ground. ``` ``` ## What is an Undead? Undead come in many forms, but almost every undead is a creature or a part of a creature that was once alive. (A few, such as the vasuthant, were never alive, but such creatures are extremely unusual.) Beyond that, massive variation is possible. However, there are several metrics on which undead can be categorized: ### Undead Classification #### Corporeal or Incorporeal A corporeal undead has a body; an incorporeal one does not. Shadows are a strange case, as they are corporeal but can flow like water. #### Rotting or Preserved Some undead continue to decay long after death, such as zombies; others, like mummies, are kept in suspended animation from the negative energy coursing through them. #### Complete or Partial Wights and zombies are full bodies raised together. Crawling claws and brains-in-a-jar are single body parts, and raiments are nothing but clothes animated by suffering and hate. #### Mindless or Sentient Zombies possess no mind, while liches are gifted with superhuman brilliance. Others, such as wights, have intelligence normal for humans. Liches, wights, and other sapient undead still have their souls within them, while a zombie's soul has passed on to whatever afterlife awaited it. #### Humanoid or Monstrous Many undead are the remnants of dead humanoids. A few, however, are formed from nonhumanoid creatures, such a dracoliches, nightcrawlers, and beholder zombies. ### Undead Alignment The majority of sapient undead are evil. Hateful, cruel people generally have more lingering grudges or regrets and are thus more likely to return from the grave. However, there are many reasons why a good person might consign themselves to an eternity trapped on the Material Plane. Some people who suffered awful fates return as revenants, determined to bring their killers to justice; others with wrongs to right become ghosts. Additionally, some good souls intentionally embrace undeath. The most popular avenue towards undeath for such individuals is through the Ritual of Crucimigration, which turns them into necropolitans. Furthermore, the mightiest mages can become liches, and good liches do exist. Because of the above factors, undead can be of any alignment. However, note that most of the more powerful "species" of undead are usually evil, such as wraiths, wights, and liches. In contrast, necropolitans (among the weakest sapient undead) have no predisposition towards evil. \page
### Undead Powers Undead have as much variation in powers as the living do. However, some powers are particularly common to them. #### Ability Drain Some undead have a touch that can reduce ability scores. The most well-known creatures with this power are the shadows, who possess a fearsome Strength drain. #### Death A few undead, such as a bodak, can kill with but a glance. #### Disease Some undead can inflict awful diseases with but a touch. Mummy rot is widely known and feared, but it is not the only plague carried by the undead. #### Fear Undead make terrifying foes by themselves, but many have access to a supernatural sort of fear—the fear that, with only a stare, can leave an archmage running screaming. #### Life Drain An iconic ability of the unliving is the power to suck out life with a touch. A wraith's caress deals necrotic damage, and reduces the target's maximum HP. Wights can similarly destroy lifeforce with their touch. #### Paralysis Signature weapon of the ghouls, paralysis enables an unliving creature to render its foe helpless. A pack of ghouls can leave an entire adventuring party frozen in silent screams. ## Necrology Most undead have no need to eat. They are sustained from the negative energy flowing through them, though they can still partake in food if they wish. A few undead must feed on the living or their bodies will start to decay. Vampires need to drink blood. A larger group of undead have no bodily need to eat, but have a deep psychological need. If they do not eat, they will degenerate into mindless hunters until they feed. Wraiths, wights, and specters are three members of this group. #### Not Required An entry under this column means that an undead can partake in the food listed, but it need not. For example, a banshee may find lifeforce very delectable, but it can exist perfectly well without ever consuming it. #### Inescapable Craving Some undead have no “bodily” requirement to feed, and could continue to exist solely on negative energy, but are driven to their diet all the same by inescapable cravings. These cravings, denied too long, could turn even a sentient undead to mindless hunger. Once the feeding is accomplished and the hunger sated, the intensity of the craving drops back to a tolerable level, but it is a cycle doomed to repeat itself. #### Diet Dependent Some undead must feed on the living to retain either their mobility or some of their other abilities. The link to the Negative Energy Plane for undead of these sort grows increasingly tenuous the longer they are denied the necessary food. At some point, their mobility or one or more specific abilities are suppressed until they can feed again. However, no matter how enervated by lack of feeding, undead cannot be starved to the point of permanent deanimation. A fresh infusion of their preferred food can always bring them back to their full abilities. Most diet-dependent undead can go for 3d6 months before losing all mobility. ##### Table 1-1: Undead Diet | Undead Variety | Not Required | Inescapable Craving | Diet Dependant | |:-------------|:-------------|:-------------|:-------------| | Abyssal Ghoul | Lifeforce | — | — | | Alhoon | — | — | — | | All-Consuming Hunger | — | Bodies | — | | Allip | — | Sanity | — | | Apparition | Fear | — | — | | Ashen Husk | Moisture | — | — | | Atropal | — | — | — | | Banshee | Lifeforce | — | — | | Blackskate | — | — | — | | Blaspheme | — | Strength | — | | Bleakborn | — | — | Warmth | | Bloodhulk | — | — | — | | Bodak | — | — | — | | Bone Naga | — | — | — | | Boneclaw | — | — | — | | Bonedrinker | — | Constitution | — | | Bonespur | — | — | — | | Boneworm | — | — | — | | Boneyard | — | — | — | | Brain in a Jar | — | — | — | | Cinderspawn | — | Warmth | — | | Crawling Claw | — | — | — | | Cursed Spirit | — | Lifeforce | — | | Curst | — | — | — | | Crypt Spawn | — | — | — | | Death Knight | — | — | — | | Death Tyrant | — | — | — | | Deathlock | — | — | — | | Deathshrieker | — | — | — | | Demilich | Souls | — | — | \page
| Undead Variety | Not Required | Inescapable Craving | Diet Dependant | |:-------------|:-------------|:-------------|:-------------| | Demon, blood fiend | Lifeforce | Blood | — | | Dessicator | — | Moisture | — | | Dracolich | — | — | — | | Dread | Fear | — | — | | Dread Warrior | — | — | — | | Dream Vestige | — | Bodies | — | | Drowned | — | — | — | | Earthcancer Centipede | — | — | — | | Eidolon | — | — | — | | Entomber | — | — | — | | Ephemeral Swarm | — | Lifeforce | — | | Eye of Fear and Flame | — | — | — | | Famine Spirit | — | Food | — | | Favored Spawn of Kyuss | — | — | — | | Flameskull | — | — | — | | Forlorn Husk | — | Moisture | — | | Ghost | — | — | — | | Ghost Brute | — | — | — | | Ghostly Visage | Fear | — | — | | Ghoul | — | — | Flesh | | Gravecrawler | — | — | — | | Gravehound | — | — | — | | Gravetouched ghoul | — | — | — | | Grimweird | Lifeforce | — | — | | Hopping Vampire | — | Ki | — | | Huecuva | — | — | — | | Hulking Corpse | — | — | — | | Inquisitor | — | — | — | | Jolly Roger | — | — | — | | Karrnathi Dread Marshal | — | — | — | | Karrnathi Skeleton | — | — | — | | Karrnathi Zombie | — | — | — | | Kyuss Spawnling | — | — | — | | Lich | — | — | — | | Mind Flayer Lich | Brains | — | — | | Mummy | — | — | — | | Necromental | — | Lifeforce | — | | Necropolitan | — | — | — | | Necrosis Carnex | Lifeforce | — | — | | Nightwalker | — | Lifeforce | — | | Odem | — | — | — | | Phantom Warrior | — | — | — | | Plague Blight | — | — | — | | Plaguelost | — | Lifeforce | — | | Poltergeist | — | — | — | | Quell | — | — | — | | Raam | — | — | — | | Raiment | — | — | — | | Remnant | — | — | — | | Revenant | — | — | — | | Salt Mummy | — | — | — | | Serpentir | — | Flesh | — | | Shadow | — | Strength | — | | Shadow Assassin | — | Strength | — | | Sheet Phantom | — | — | — | | Skeleton | — | — | — | | Skeleton Warrior | — | — | — | | Skin Kite | — | — | Skin | | Skulking Cyst | — | Blood | — | | Skull Lord | — | — | — | | Slaymate | — | — | — | | Spawn of Kyuss | — | — | — | | Specter | — | Lifeforce | — | | Spectral Rider | Lifeforce | — | — | | Sword of Kyuss | — | — | — | | Sword Wraith | — | — | — | | Tomb Mote | — | — | — | | Topi | — | — | — | | Totem Chieftan | — | — | — | | Ulgurstasta | — | Bodies (Int) | — | | Vampire | — | Lifeforce | Blood | | Vampiric Mist | — | Lifeforce | Blood | | Vassalich | — | — | — | | Vasuthant | — | Lifeforce | — | | Visage | — | — | — | | Vitreous Drinker | — | Eyes | — | | Wight | — | Lifeforce | — | | Wight, slaughter | — | Lifeforce | — | | Wight, vile | — | Lifeforce | — | | Will-o'-Wisp | — | Life | — | | Wraith | — | Lifeforce | — | | Wraith, acidwraith | — | Organic matter | — | | Wraith, dimensional | — | Matter | — | | Wraith, bane | — | Lifeforce | — | \page
| Undead Variety | Not Required | Inescapable Craving | Diet Dependant | |:-------------|:-------------|:-------------|:-------------| | Wraith, void | — | Breath | — | | Yellow Musk Zombie | — | — | — | | Zombie | — | — | — | | Zombie, Strahd | — | — | — | | Zombie, Totem | — | — | — | | Zombie, True Strahd | — | — | — | ### Origin of Undeath Numerous theories exist concerning the nature of undeath, and though some hypotheses compete with or contradict one another, others reinforce or overlap each other. While these conjectures may not agree on the origins of unlife, most of them at least assert that this condition is generally visited upon the bodies of recently deceased creatures. Below are some of the more widely accepted theories about the origins of this affliction. #### Atrocity Calls to Unlife Evil acts can resonate in multiple dimensions, opening cracks in reality and letting the blight creep in. A sufficiently heinous act may attract the attention of malicious spirits, bodiless and seeking to house themselves in flesh, especially recently vacated vessels. Such spirits are often little more than nodes of unquenchable hunger, wishing only to feed. These comprise many of the lesser undead, such as ghouls. Sometimes these evil influences also manage to reinvigorate the decaying memories of the body’s former host. Thus, some semblance of the original personality and memories remain, though the newly awakened being is invariably twisted by the inhabiting spirit, resulting in an evil, twisted, and intelligent creature. However, this being is not truly inhabited by the spirit of the original creature, which has left to seek its ultimate destiny in the Outer Planes. This amalgamation is something entirely new. Other times, atrocious deeds call dark, reanimating spirits into the fleshy form of the newly deceased, leaving the original spirit intact. This might happen if the person was already evil, or was tempted to evil in life. Alternatively, some good spirits might be trapped within their bodies, such as in a revenant's empty corpse or a crypt spawn's dessicated body. The evil act need not even be committed by the creature. Many ghosts are created by another's horrible actions, and some other undead also form in this way. #### Negative Energy as a Supportive Force While atrocity may serve as a trigger for unlife, it is not enough to bring about a transformation of this magnitude on its own. It requires the very energy that drives dark spirits and their unquenchable thirst for life. That which is dead has no vitality, so where does the energy of animation come from? Negative energy provides the power for this metamorphosis. Just as blood suffuses living creatures, negative energy suffuses undead, providing them all their abilities, from mobility to sentience, from flesh-eating to soul-devouring. ``` ``` > #### Variant Rule: Undead Hunger > > This variant rule is best applied to undead player characters that are diet dependent or have inescapable cravings. These rules work less well for undead that spend years or more locked away in tombs before getting a chance to feed. However, the DM may decide to use these rules on a case-by-case basis for NPC or monster undead as well. > > The hunger felt by an undead with the need for sustenance is akin to an addiction. Like living creatures with an extreme craving for some chemical substance, hungry undead are prone to erratic, violent, and sometimes self-destructive behavior if they are denied their preferred morsels. > > > | Hunger Type | Satiation | DC | Ability Reduction | > |:-------------|:-------------|:-------------|:-------------| > | Inescapable craving | 2 days | 20 | 1d4 Wis | > | Diet dependent | 1 week | 15 | 2d4 Str | > ##### Satiation > > An undead with an inescapable craving has its Wisdom score reduced each other day unless it makes a successful DC 20 Wisdom save. This reduction lasts until it feeds again or receives a *greater restoration* spell. A diet-dependent undead takes a reduction every week unless it makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom save. Each time an undead feeds on its preferred morsel, it is satiated and need not make these saving throws for the satiation period noted on the table. After the satiation period wears off, the undead once again grows hungry. > > ##### Ability Reduction > An undead’s need to feed is like a mental spike boring into its awareness, dealing the indicated reduction each day unless the undead succeeds on the saving throw or feeds. An undead immediately is cured of all the ability reduction it has taken if it manages to feed. > > As the undead goes longer and longer without feeding, potentially losing Wisdom all the while, the undead grows increasingly unbalanced. It mulls over plans that would allow it to feed—plans it would likely consider too risky were it completely sane. When the undead reaches 0 Wisdom, it retains no volition of its own, no judgment to deter it from seeking its preferred morsel, even if the undead’s utter destruction seems likely thereafter. (A player character who reaches 0 Wisdom from a failure to feed is temporarily remanded to the DM, who plays the undead as a ravening beast until the character has fed.) > > An intelligent undead sometimes plans for this eventuality, even arranging to have itself locked away in a self-constructed vault from which it is unable to escape. It will stay there until a prearranged third party provides the undead with its preferred morsel (presumably in a fashion that does not endanger the third party, though accidents do happen). \page
#### Negative Energy as a Draining Force Some claim that undead exist concurrently on the Material Plane and the Negative Energy Plane. More precisely, they believe that undead on the Material Plane are linked to the Negative Energy Plane via a conduit, just as life itself somehow partakes of positive energy. The Negative Energy Plane is the heart of darkness—the hunger that devours souls. It is a barren, empty place, a void without end, and a place of vacant, suffocating night. Worse, it is a needy, greedy plane, sucking the life out of anything vulnerable to its grasp. Heat, fire, and life itself are all drawn into the maw of this plane, which perpetually hungers for more. The very existence of even the weakest undead produces a constant drain on the energies of the Material Plane, which accounts for sensations of cold often attributed to the unliving. As part of the enchantment of their creation, undead “siphon” a bit of the energy flowing from the Material Plane toward the Negative Energy Plane. This “stolen” energy serves to power their ongoing existence. More powerful undead have a stronger connection to the Negative Energy Plane and are therefore able to siphon even more Material Plane energy for their own purposes before it is forever lost in the Final Void. This type of animation is known as necromancy, but it could also be called entropic animancy. Wizards speculate that magic might be able to link objects or corpses to the Positive Energy Plane, in this case reversing the flow of energy. #### Undeath as Contagion Many undead have methods of propagating their curse among their previously living victims. For instance, those infected by the diseased bite of a ghoul may contract ghoul fever. Those who perish from this rotting illness rise at the next midnight as ghouls themselves. In this way, some undead recruit the formerly living into their shuffling ranks. Undead propagate in a sick parody of life’s method of multiplying. Worse yet, undead proliferation is far quicker, easier, and doesn’t require the consent of the creature to be made undead—only a victim’s inability to drive off the grave-born attacker. #### Purposeful Reanimation Count on the knowledge-seekers to pursue too far the spark of life, and the dark fruits of death. Some seek death’s secrets out of fear, thinking that by overcoming mortality, they will have no more to dread. Mages who tread this road to its conclusion sometimes embrace death completely, though they do not become immortal but simply enduring. Spellcasters who adopt this existence are commonly known as liches. To their sorrow, most find that forsaking all the pleasures of life while continuing to exist is a fate worse than the absolution of true death. Others probe the boundaries between one’s last breath and the final silence solely for the sake of knowledge. Shorn of conscience or any passion other than the need to know the truth, these dabblers have been responsible for plagues of zombies, soul-snuffing winds, and other atrocities. Sometimes these learned mages also experiment with animation of inert matter that shares many properties with the animation of undead, especially when the inert matter in question is composed of the cast-off body parts of once-living creatures. Such creations are commonly known as flesh golems. However, as similar as a flesh golem (or any other construct) may appear to a zombie, constructs and undead remain separate entities, for two main reasons. First, negative energy is not a requisite power for any common construct, including flesh golems. Negative energy does not energize constructs, nor does negative energy play a part in the methods whereby constructs can afflict foes. Second, constructs are animated by elemental spirits. By some people’s estimation, this similarity is too close for comfort, but most feel that the difference is great enough to warrant a clear separation of type.





**Image used:** "[Orb Wraith](http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ag/20060417a&page=2)" by WOTC \page
# Races The necropolitan template is suitable for player characters. Becoming one requires a 24-hour ritual while still alive. The market price of having this ritual cast upon you is 3,000 gold. If you are capable of performing the ritual yourself on a friend, the raw unguents and preservatives cost 1,500 gold. Be aware that while the necropolitan template is suitable for player characters in general, a necropolitan dread necromancer could heal themself at will via *charnel touch*. This can unbalance the game if you aren't careful. The following other races are also deeply tied to the undead. ### Deathtouched As tieflings are the distant descendants of fiends, deathtouched are the descendants of the undead. ***Age.*** Deathtouched mature at the same rate as humans but live about twice as long. ***Size.*** Deathtouched are about the same size as humans, but tend to be more gaunt. Your size is Medium. ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet. ***Darkvision.*** Thanks to your undead heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. ***Call of Undeath.*** If you die, roll a d10. On a roll of 9-10, you rise as an undead of your ancestor's type (the DM decides your type if you are a mortif). ***Unliving Resistance.*** You have resistance to necrotic and poison damage, and you have advantage on saving throws against poison. ***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common and one of your choice. ***Turn Susceptibility.*** You can be turned or rebuked as if you were undead, though you gain advantage on the save. If you would be destroyed, you are instead stunned for 1 minute; if you would be commanded, you are instead charmed for 1 hour. ***Holy Water Susceptibility.*** Your connection to the grave makes you vulnerable to holy water. However, the fact that you are still alive means you have resistance to this damage. Similarly, you can be harmed by positoxins, but you are resistant to their damage. ***Subrace.*** Depending on the nature of your undead ancestor, you may have different powers. Choose one of the subraces below. #### Fetch Fetches are born from those whose ancestor was a ghost. This is a logistical nightmare and usually requires the intervention of a deity or other power to achieve. ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Charisma score increases by 2. ***Ghostform.*** As an action, you become incorporeal until your concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). While incorporeal, you cannot use material components or arcane foci, nor make weapon attacks. You can, however, move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. You take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn inside an object. You can't use this power again until you finish a long rest. #### Gheden Ghedens are the result of fusing human essence with zombie strength. Gheden are not a natural race; rather, they are spawned by the experiments of necromancers or the interventions of deities. ***Ability Score Adjustment.*** Your Strength score increases by 1, and your Constitution score increases by 2. Your Intelligence and Charisma scores decrease by 2. ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces you to 0 hit points, you must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, you drop to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this power again until you finish a long rest. #### Ghul Your ancestor was a ghoul, and you still possess some of that paralytic talent. ***Ability Score Adjustment.*** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1. ***Ghoulish Legacy.*** When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the *ghoul touch* spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. #### Katane You are descended from a vampire or vampire spawn, or possibly another blood-drinking undead. ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1. ***Vampiric Legacy.*** You know the *black orb* cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the *charm person* spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the *vampiric touch* spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. #### Mortif The mortif subrace represents those whose undead ancestor is of uncertain nature. It has more general powers than the other types. ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Constitution score increases by 1, and your Charisma score increases by 2. ***Undead Legacy.*** You know the *chill touch* cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the *shroud of undeath* spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the *crown of the grave* spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. \page
# Classes ## Bard Colleges The way of a bard is gregarious. Bards seek each other out to swap songs and stories, boast of their accomplishments, and share their knowledge. Bards form loose associations, which they call colleges, to facilitate their gatherings and preserve their traditions. ### College of Dirgesinging Dirgesingers voice melodies not of celebration and joy, but of sorrow and grief. They seek to spread this melancholy outlook far and wide, believing that only those who give in to their sadness can truly understand the world. Dirgesingers hold high positions in death-obsessed cultures. Serving as members of a secret guild or as part of a hierarchy of death priests, they are entrusted with the serious responsibility of composing suitable laments for the dead. The more important the deceased, the more sorrowful and moving her lament is expected to be. No one will remember the dead queen in a few short generations, but a great lament might be sung a thousand years hence. However, most dirgesingers do not belong to any special hierarchy or guild. Instead, they are rootless wanderers who travel from place to place, wrapped in inconsolable grief from some personal tragedy. These sad wanderers seek to express their grief through songs that teach the hearts of their listeners the meaning of true sorrow. Some of these fallen bards want nothing more than for others to understand the depths of their loss. A few are sinister creatures who believe that, since joy has been extinguished for them, they must in turn extinguish the joy of others by using their powers to teach folk the folly of love, the futility of hope, and the finality of the grave. Dirgesingers of this last sort often associate themselves with powerful undead, serving in the courts of vampire lords or lich-kings. ##### Dirgesinger Features | Bard Level | Feature | |:----:|:-------------| | 3rd | Song of Sorrow, Song of Grief | | 6th | Touching Melody | | 14th | Song of Return | #### Song of Sorrow When you join the College of Dirgesinging at 3rd level, the sorrow and pain in your voice is audible to all who hear you, and it speaks to the suffering in their hearts. As a bonus action, you target any number of creatures within 30 feet. If a creature can hear you and understands at least 1 language, it must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, the creature has disadvantage on all attack rolls against you until the end of its next turn as its sorrows overwhelm it. On a success, the creature is immune to your song of sorrow for the next 24 hours. #### Song of Grief Also at 3rd level, your music or words can even drive others to apathy. As an action, you expend a use of Bardic Inspiration and target a creature that can hear you and understands at least 1 language within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become incapacitated for 1 minute. While incapacitated in this way, its speed is 0. If it takes damage, the effect ends. #### Touching Melody At 6th level, your words can reach even the most hardened heart (or lack thereof). If a creature is normally immune to being charmed or frightened, and can hear you and understands at least 1 language, it loses its immunity to being charmed or frightened by your effects, and instead has advantage against being charmed or frightened. #### Song of Return At 14th level, you learn the secret of singing the dead back to life. You can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration as an action to target a recently slain corpse (dead no longer than 1 hour; *gentle repose* extends this limit as normal) of a creature within 30 feet. You must make a Charisma (Performance) check against a DC equal to 10 + the creature's Challenge Rating, or its level if if it doesn't have a Challenge Rating. You add your Bardic Inspiration die to this roll. On a failure, the effect fails, but you can try again next round with another use of Bardic Inspiration. On a success, the awakened creature gains the following alterations: - Its type becomes undead, and it retains any tags it had - It gains immunity to poison damage - It gains immunity to the charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, and poisoned conditions - It gains advantage on saves against being turned or rebuked - It doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep. The creature retains all class features, as well as any abilities it possessed in life (though any spells cast or daily uses expended before the creature's death count against its normal limits). The awakened creature is completely loyal to you and obeys any commands given it (if no commands are given, it simply attacks your foes). The creature remains animate as long as you continue to use your bonus action to perform. You can animate no more than one corpse at a time. If you animate a second one while the first is still active, the first one falls dead as if you had ceased to perform. \page
## Cleric Domains ### Hunger Domain The urge to feed is one all living things feel. Doresain, the King of the Ghouls, embodies this hunger in its darkest form. The awful Turaglas likewise offers the hunger domain. ##### Hunger Domain Features | Cleric Level | Feature | |:----:|:-------------| | 1st | Domain Spells, Bonus Proficiencies, Consume Corpse | | 2nd | Channel Divinity: Devour Lifeforce | | 6th | Predator's Nose | | 8th | Divine Strike (1d8) | | 14th | Divine Strike (2d8) | | 17th | Assume Likeness | #### Domain Spells You gain domain spells at the cleric levels listed in the Hunger Domain Spells table. See the Divine Domain class feature for how domain spells work. ##### Hunger Domain Spells | Cleric Level | Spells | |:----:|:-------------| | 1st | *ghoul touch, slow consumption* | | 2nd | *ghoul glyph, hold person* | | 3th | *crown of the grave, absorb mind* | | 4th | *feast of flesh, wrack* | | 5th | *bleed, consumptive field* | #### Bonus Proficiencies You gain proficiency with cook's utensils and martial weapons. #### Consume Corpse Over the course of a short rest, if you eat something of at least your size and roll hit dice to heal, you roll hit dice twice and use the higher roll. If the thing you are eating was sentient (at least 6 Int), you automatically regain the maximum hit points. A creature consumed in this way cannot be raised with *raise dead*, but *resurrection* and stronger magic works fine. #### Channel Divinity: Devour Lifeforce At 2nd level, you gain the ability to suck out the life of another creature. As an action, you deal 1d4 * your cleric level necrotic damage to one creature you can see within 60 feet, and you regain an amount of hit points equal to the necrotic damage done. #### Predator's Nose Starting at 6th level, if a creature that you can see that has blood takes piercing or slashing damage, you can move up to your speed towards it as a reaction. This movement doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity. ``` ``` #### Divine Strike At 8th level, once on each of your turns when you hits a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 acid damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8. #### Assume Likeness Starting at 17th level, you can cast *consume likeness* at will, requiring no components, and you do not pay any corruption cost when casting it. ### Sun Domain The sun domain is concerned specifically with the destruction of the undead. Amon, an ancient and forgotten sun god, offers this domain, as does Pelor, the Burning Hate. ##### Sun Domain Features | Cleril Level | Feature | |:----:|:-------------| | 1st | Domain Spells, Bonus Proficiencies | | 2nd | Channel Divinity: Destructive Wrath | | 6th | Heightened Turning | | 8th | Divine Strike (1d6/1d12) | | 14th | Divine Strike (2d6/2d12) | | 17th | Ultimate Turning | #### Domain Spells You gain domain spells at the cleric levels listed in the Sun Domain Spells table. See the Divine Domain class feature for how domain spells work. ##### Sun Domain Spells | Cleric Level | Spells | |:----:|:-------------| | 1st | *guiding bolt, call undead* | | 2nd | *shroud of undeath, life bolt* | | 3th | *daylight, revivify* | | 4th | *delay death, death ward* | | 5th | *nethergaze, wall of light* | #### Bonus Proficiencies At 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons and heavy armor. #### Channel Divinity: Destructive Wrath Starting at 2nd level, when you roll radiant damage, you can use your Channel Divinity to deal maximum damage, instead of rolling. #### Heightened Turning Beginning at 6th level, you learn the secret of destroying undead with your turning. When you turn undead, you can amplify the turning's power. All undead who would be turned are instead destroyed. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. \page
#### Divine Strike At 8th level, once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d6 radiant damage to the target. Against undead, this effect deals 1d12 damage. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d6, or 2d12 against undead. #### Ultimate Turning At 17th level, you regain a use of your Heightened Turning once you finish a short or long rest. ### Undeath Domain Unlike the death domain, the undeath domain is unconcerned with harming the living. Rather, it focuses on the creation of and cooperation with undead. ##### Undeath Domain Features | Cleril Level | Feature | |:----:|:-------------| | 1st | Domain Spells, Friend of the Dead | | 2nd | Channel Divinity: Defy Turning | | 6th | Lifesense | | 8th | Potent Spellcasting | | 17th | Mummification | #### Domain Spells You gain domain spells at the cleric levels listed in the Undeath Domain Spells table. See the Divine Domain class feature for how domain spells work. ##### Undeath Domain Spells | Cleric Level | Spells | |:----:|:-------------| | 1st | *animate crawling claw, call undead* | | 2nd | *command undead, gentle repose* | | 3th | *animate dead, black sand* | | 4th | *create necropolitan, create Karrnathi undead* | | 5th | *danse macabre, contact ancient spirits* | #### Friend of the Dead Whenever you make a Charisma (Persuasion) check when interacting with the undead, you are considered proficient in the Persuasion skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. Additionally, an undead creature must make a Charisma save vs your spell save DC in order to attack you in any way. If the undead creature's save fails, the undead creature cannot take any aggressive action against you for 24 hours. If the undead creature succeeds in this save, it can act normally for 24 hours. After this time, it must save again. While under the effects of this ability, an undead creature cannot take any direct action against you, but it could order its minions to attack, cast spells to boost its allies who can attack you, and so on. Undead creatures with an Intelligence score of 6 or less automatically fail this save unless another creature controls them, such as another cleric. In this case, the creature that controls the unintelligent undead makes a save on its behalf. If you harm an undead creature, you lose the benefit of both of the above features against that specific undead for the next 24 hours. #### Channel Divinity: Defy Turning At 2nd level, you gain the ability to protect undead from turning. As an action, present your holy symbol. All undead within 30 feet are immune to being turned for 1 minute and gain temporary hit points equal to twice your cleric level. #### Lifesense Beginning at 6th level, you gain the power to see the living and the dead. Simply by looking at a creature, you can determine if that creature is alive, dead, undead, or neither alive nor dead (such as a construct). However, spells such as *Nystul's magic aura* can fool your senses. #### Potent Spellcasting Starting at 8th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any cleric cantrip. #### Mummification At 17th level, you ascend to a mighty state of undeath. You become a mummy lord, gaining the following modifications: ***Type.*** Your type changes to undead. ***Natural Armor.*** When not wearing armor, your AC is equal to 17 + your Dexterity modifier. ***Proficiency.*** You gain proficiency in Intelligence and Constitution saving throws. ***Damage Vulnerability.*** You are vulnerable to fire damage. ***Damage Immunities.*** You gain immunity to necrotic and poison damage, and bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks. ***Condition Immunities.*** You gain immunity to being charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, and poisoned. ***Senses.*** You gain darkvision to 60 feet. ***Magic Resistance.*** You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. ***Rejuvenation.*** You gain a new body in 24 hours if your heart is intact, regaining all your hit points and becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of your heart. You gain the following actions: ***Multiattack.*** You can use your Dreadful Glare and make one attack with your rotting fist. ***Rotting Fist.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +(Str + proficiency) to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* ??? (3d6 + Str) bludgeoning damage plus 21 (6d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC (8+Con+proficiency). Constitution saving throw or be cursed with mummy rot. The cursed target can't regain hit points, and its hit point maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target's hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and its body turns to dust. The curse lasts until removed by the *remove curse* spell or other magic \page
***Dreadful Glare.*** You target one creature you can see within 60 feet. If your target can see you, it must succeed on a DC (8+Con+proficiency) Wisdom saving throw against this magic or become frightened until the end your next turn. If the target fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is also paralyzed for the same duration. A target that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the Dreadful Glare of all mummies and mummy lords for the next 24 hours. ## Druid Circles At 2nd level, a druid gains the Druid Circle feature. ### Circle of the Waste The desert is a harsh, unforgiving environment. It has swallowed up travelers, explorers, and even entire kingdoms. As a member of the Walkers in the Waste, you embrace this savage land and draw power from it. ##### Circle of the Waste Features | Druid Level | Feature | |:----:|:-------------| | 2nd | Dessicating Touch, Local Drought | | 6th | Sandcasting | | 10th | Create Salt Mummy | | 14th | Greater Drought | | 20th | Sere Rite | #### Dessicating Touch As an action, you can make a melee spell attack against one creature in your reach. On a hit, you do 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier dessication damage. This ability's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8). #### Local Drought Beginning at 2nd level, you can produce desert conditions in a 30-foot-radius sphere with you at the center. The temperature band in the area rises by one step or to hot, whichever produces the hotter result. You can raise or lower this aura as a bonus action. #### Sandcasting At 6th level, you can cast *wall of sand* and *dust devil* as druid spells at will without expending spell slots. You must either be within a desert or be carrying 1 pound of sand or other desert soil to cast these spells in this way. If you aren't in a desert, casting these spells also requires a bonus action to utilize the desert soil in this way, though it is not consumed. #### Create Salt Mummy At 10th level, you can create a **salt mummy** with 1 minute of work and an appropriately dessicated corpse. The resulting mummy is free-willed and indifferent to you. #### Greater Drought Beginning at 14th level, you can produce extreme desert conditions in a 120-foot-radius sphere with you at the center. The temperature band in that area rises by two steps or to severe heat, whichever produces the hotter result. You can raise or lower this aura as a bonus action. This effect supersedes that of the local drought ability. #### Sere Rite On reaching 20th level, you learn to apply the secrets of waste preservation to your own body, becoming a dry lich. You must undergo the Sere Rite, overseen by another dry lich, which includes preserving your flesh, removing your organs and storing them in special canopic jars, and imbuing your body with foul magic to make it undying. As a dry lich, you cannot be permanently killed unless the canopic jars containing your life essence are destroyed. ***Type.*** Your type changes to undead. ***Natural Armor.*** When not wearing armor, your AC is equal to 15 + your Dexterity modifier. ***Damage Immunities.*** You gains immunity to dessication, fire, necrotic, and poison damage, as well as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks. ***Condition Immunities.*** You gain immunity to being charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, and poisoned. ***Senses.*** You gain truesight to 120 feet. ***Aura of Despair.*** As a bonus action, each creature of your choice that is within 60 ft. of you must succeed on a DC (8 + Wisdom modifier + proficiency bonus) Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature that fails this save by 5 or more is incapacitated while frightened in this way, and its speed is 0. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to your Aura of Despair for the next 24 hours. ***Regeneration.*** You regain 2 hit points at the start of your turn as long as you have at least 1 hit point remaining and aren't in water or a humid climate, or the area of a water-based spell such as *fog cloud*. ***Rejuvenation.*** You gain a new body in 1d6 weeks if at least one of your canopic jars is intact, regaining all your hit points and becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of a canopic jar of your choice. ***Turn Resistance.*** You have advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. ***Water Weakness.*** All water damages you as if it were holy water. You gain the following action: ***Pillar of Salt (1/day).*** You cast *flesh to stone* requiring no concentration, components, or spell slot. A creature transformed by this ability turns to salt instead of stone. Salt statues are extremely susceptible to dissolution by water—if exposed to flooding or heavy rain, they take damage that ignores resistance and immunity. A constant blast of water (for example, a geyser from a decanter of endless water) deals 10 points of acid damage per minute. A steady rain deals 1 point of acid damage per minute. \page
## Paladin Oaths ### Oath of Bones Particularly common among the Karrnathi of Eberron, the Oath of Bones champions a nation or organization, and sees no fault in using necromantic techniques to protect sovereign and country. Bone knights developed the *find skeletal steed* and *find greater skeletal steed* spells, and while those spells are not exclusive to bone knights, they are certainly associated with them. #### Tenets of Bones The tenets of the Oath of Bones are often set by the kingdom to which their oath is sworn, but generally emphasize the following tenets. - **Loyalty:** Your word is your bond. Without loyalty, oaths and laws are meaningless. - **Courage:** You must be willing to do what needs to be done for the sake of order, even in the face of overwhelming odds. If you don't act, then who will? - **Responsibility:** You must deal with the consequences of your actions, and you are responsible for fulfilling your duties and obligations. - **Eternal Service:** Your friends and comrades serve in death as they did in life, and you are bound to do the same. ##### Oath of Bones Features | Paladin Level | Feature | |:----:|:-------------| | 3rd | Ability Modifications, Oath Spells, Channel Divinity, Bonecraft Armor | | 7th | Aura of Unity | | 15th | Exoskeleton of Undeath | | 20th | Death Strike | #### Ability Modifications Several of your abilities are altered by your relation to the undead: - Your *lay on hands* can heal undead (it still can't heal constructs). - Your *divine smite* deals bonus damage to fiends and one other creature type of your choice. Once you choose a type, you cannot change it. #### Bonecraft Armor You are able to use bonecraft armor effectively, and gain advantage on Intimidation checks while wearing it. You can turn a suit of nonmagical or magical armor into bonecraft armor by spending 8 hours, assuming you have access to skeletons. The skeletons need not be humanoid. #### Oath Spells ##### Oath of Bones Spells | Paladin Level | Spells | |:----:|:-------------| | 3rd | *feast on life, ghost light* | | 5th | *command undead, Kelgore's grave mist* | | 9th | *crown of the grave, undead lieutenant* | | 13th | *create Karrnathi undead, rally of the damned* | | 17th | *door of decay, elemental shroud* | #### Channel Divinity When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. ***Rebuke Undead.*** As an action, you can make any undead, provided that it's within 30 feet and that can see or hear you, make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is rebuked for 1 minute or until it takes damage. A rebuked creature must spend its turns cowering in awe. Creatures that are adjacent to it have advantage on attack rolls against it. ***March of the Dead.*** As an action, you assume control of any amount of already-controlled undead within 30 feet of you. The controller of the undead must be willing to relinquish control. These undead serve under you permanently, but you cannot control more than your Charisma modifier + your paladin level of them. #### Aura of Unity Starting at 7th level, you and friendly undead creatures within 10 feet of you can't be turned or rebuked while you are conscious. Additionally, you and friendly undead within 10 feet of you gain a bonus to melee weapon damage rolls equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of +1). A creature can benefit from this feature from only one paladin at a time. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet. #### Exoskeleton of Undeath The first time you don bonecraft armor after you reach level 15, your bonecraft armor fuses to your body and cannot be removed without killing you. However, you gain several benefits in return: - You are immune to poison damage - You are immune to exhaustion and the poisoned condition - You no longer need air, food, drink, or sleep #### Death Strike Starting at 20th level, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can force it to make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or drop to 0 hit points. You can't use this ability again until you finish a long rest. \page
## Ranger Conclaves ### Wight Conclave You emulate the undead as the ultimate predators. As you gain levels in this class, you become like the walking dead, mimicking their mightiest attacks. #### Specter's Strike At 3rd level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. - **Draining Strike:** When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, the creature takes an extra 1d6 necrotic damage, and its hit point maximum is reduced by the same amount. You can deal this extra damage only once per turn. - **Consume Life:** When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you can immediately force it to make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, it dies, and you gain advantage on your next weapon attack before the end of your next turn. - **Spectral Strike:** When you make a weapon attack, you can choose to have the attack deal force damage. #### Wight's Defenses At 7th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. - **Undying Resilience:** You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against necrotic and poison damage. - **Eternity Walker:** You are immune to exhaustion. - **Dark Fanaticism:** You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed. #### Wraith's Strike At 11th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. - **Shadow Blow:** You can use your action to make a melee weapon attack against one creature. On a hit, its Strength score is reduced by 1d4. - **Mummy Blow:** You can use your action to make a weapon attack against one creature. On a hit, it takes 3d6 necrotic damage and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or be cursed with mummy rot. The cursed target can’t regain hit points, and its hit point maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and its body turns to dust. The curse lasts until removed by the *remove curse* spell or other magic. #### Lich's Defenses At 15th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice. - **Mettle:** When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Constitution saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail. - **Fear Aura:** Whenever a creature of your choice starts its turn within 10 feet of you or moves there for the first time on its turn, it must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save or be frightened of you for 1 minute. It can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. On a successful save, it is immune to your fear aura for 24 hours. - **Retributive Withering:** When a creature that you can see damages you, you can use your reaction to force the attacker to make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. It takes necrotic damage equal to the damage dealt to you, or half on a success. Also on a failure, its maximum hit points are reduced by the amount of necrotic damage it took. ## Sorcerous Origins At 1st level, a sorcerer gains the Sorcerous Origin feature. The following option is available to a sorcerer, in addition to those offered in the Player's Handbook: ### Winterhaunt Winter's cold, merciless fury has no better embodiment than the winterhaunts. ##### Winterhaunt Features | Sorcerer Level | Feature | |:----:|:-------------| | 1st | Cloak of Winter's Chill | | 6th | Piercing Cold | | 14th | Create Entombed | | 18th | Wintry Apotheosis | #### Cloak of Winter's Chill As a bonus action, you can raise or lower this aura. While it is raised, you surround yourself in an orb of cold. You gain advantage on Charisma checks and saves, and you have resistance to cold damage. Anyone within 5 feet of you can feel the cold, which is 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or 40 degrees colder than the ambient temperature, whichever is lower. #### Piercing Cold Starting at 6th level, all cold damage you do ignores resistance. It even affects creatures immune to cold, dealing half damage to them. Furthermore, when you cast a spell that deals cold damage, you can add your Charisma modifier to the damage roll of that spell. #### Create Entombed At 14th level, you can summon an **entombed** as an action for 1 minute or until your concentration ends. It obeys you loyally and follows your commands. If your concentration ends, the entombed stops being under your control, becomes hostile, and might attack. You can't use this ability again until you finish a long rest. #### Wintry Apotheosis At 18th level, your type changes to elemental, you gain immunity to cold and poison damage and to the exhaustion, petrified, and poisoned conditions, and darkvision out to 60 feet. However, you also gain vulnerability to fire damage. \page
## Dread Necromancer Finishing the ritual chant to animate the dead, the elf smiles as the corpse's eyes flicker awake. It groans, and climbs to join the army gathered behind her. With another word, she bolsters her undead, flooding them with so much negative energy no cleric could ever hope to turn them. As a human in black leather extends his hand, a surge of negative energy flows into the injured wight, mending its wounds and stitching its flesh back together. The wight smiles coldly, and picks up its sword, ready to charge back into battle. An elderly tiefling looks at the horde of undead, led by a coldly blazing death knight. She whispers a word, and suddenly the death knight remembers what it is to be afraid. The orc shaman reaches down to the dying warrior. She extends a hand to him, and he finds the strength to rise once more. With a roar, he charges back into battle. Calling up the spirit of an ancient scholar, the gnome learns the trick of creating entombers. He turns to his custom-built undead with a glint in his eye. ### Lords and Ladies of Undeath Many claim the title of the necromancer. From clerics of the gods of undeath to specialist wizards to warlocks bound to liches, animating the dead is a feat many can accomplish. But none of those can match a dread necromancer for mastery over life and death. The dread necromancer is a rare caster who focuses all of his or her efforts on the undead. Though they have far fewer options than the mighty wizards, and lack the raw supportive power of a bard, no other class is the equal of the dread necromancer when it comes to creation and manipulation of the undead. ### The Touch of Death > *“Life and death are one, for all living things die in time. Death is not an ending, but a beginning. Since one’s living days are but a fraction of the eternal existence of death, life is but a useless distraction to the study and understanding of the long darkness to come.”* > > —Unknown You have the power of life, death, and undeath coursing through your veins. Whether you were born with this power or discovered it later in life, it is a part of you. You can wither flesh with but a touch, and raise the dead as shambling corpses with more powerful magic. ### Religion and Philosophy Many dread necromancers put little faith in the gods--after all, a dread necromancer has power over life and death blazing through his or her veins. Some revere general gods of magic, others gods of life or death, and a significant portion worship the gods of undeath, such as dreaded Kyuss. Many of Mellifleur's faithful come from the ranks of the dread necromancer. Outside of gods, the Blood of Vol (Eberron) has many dread necromancers within its fold, and in Planescape more than a few of this path belong to the Dustmen. ### Alignment With their talent at destroying life, commanding undead, and their ultimate transformation into liches, one might think that all dread necromancers are irredeemable monsters. This is categorically incorrect. There are many evil dread necromancers, but that only makes the good-aligned ones shine brighter. In the end, dread necromancers are the ultimate practitioners of necromancy, and necromancy is a tool. Like any tool, it can be wielded for good or for evil. ### Creating a Dread Necromancer The most important question to consider when creating your necromancer is how you feel about your powers. Do you embrace your mastery of life and death? Do you view it as a curse or a blessing? Has your connection to the powers of the grave made you cold and cynical, or are you overflowing with compassion for others? #### Quick Build You can make a dread necromancer quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the necrologist background. Third, choose the *blood transfusion*, *minor illusion*, and *charnel touch* cantrips. For Dark Secrets, choose *healing word* and *ghost light*. > ##### Variant: Scholarly Necromancer > > The writeup below is designed for someone with an innate connection to the forces of life, death, and undeath, thematically similar to a sorcerer. However, there's no reason you couldn't play a character more like a wizard who has focused his or her talents on necromancy to the exclusion of all else. In this case, replace all instances of "Charisma" in the class features with "Intelligence." > > This is not a significant buff nor nerf, as both Charisma and Intelligence are "secondary stats" (with the primary being Constitution, Dexterity, and Wisdom). \page
##### The Dread Necromancer | Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |:---:|:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| | 1st | +2 | Spellcasting, Dark Secrets | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 2nd | +2 | Dark Path, Channel Negative Energy | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 3rd | +2 | Eyes of the Grave, Aura of Doom | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement, Dark Secrets | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 5th | +3 | Command Undead, Fear Aura | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 6th | +3 | Channel Negative Energy (2/rest), Dark Path feature | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 7th | +3 | Unliving Infusion | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | | 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement, Command Undead (CR 1), Dark Secrets | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | | 9th | +4 | Unliving Infusion upgrade | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | | 10th | +4 | Dark Path feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | | 11th | +4 | Command Undead (CR 2), Eyes of the Grave upgrade | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | | 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement, Dark Secrets | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | | 13th | +5 | Unliving Infusion upgrade| 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | | 14th | +5 | Command Undead (CR 3), Dark Path Feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | | 15th | +5 | Cloak of Unlife, Aura of Doom upgrade | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | | 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement, Keeper of Secrets | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | | 17th | +6 | Command Undead (CR 4), Unliving Infusion upgrade| 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 18th | +6 | Channel Negative Energy (3/rest), Dark Path feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 20th | +6 | Apotheosis of Unlife | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
## Class Features As a dread necromancer, you gain the following class features #### Hit Points ___ - **Hit Dice:** 1d8 per dread necromancer level - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 8 + your Constitution modifier - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per dread necromancer level after 1st #### Proficiencies ___ - **Armor:** Light armor - **Weapons:** Simple weapons and one martial weapon of your choice ___ - **Saving Throws:** Constitution, Charisma - **Skills:** Choose two from Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, and Religion #### Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: - One martial weapon of your choice - *(a)* a light crossbow and 20 bolts or *(b)* any simple weapon - *(a)* a component pouch or *(b)* an arcane focus - *(a)* a scholar's pack or *(b)* a dungeoneer's pack - leather armor, any simple weapon, and two daggers \page
### Spellcasting Although you are an arcane caster, you prepare spells like a cleric does. You do not pray to a god; rather, you feel inwards and summon the spells to your fingertips. #### Cantrips At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice from the dread necromancer spell list. You learn additional dread necromancer cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Dread Necromancer table. #### Preparing and Casting Spells The Dread Necromancer table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. You prepare the list of dread necromancer spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the dread necromancer spell list. When you do so, choose a number of dread necromancer spells equal to your Charisma modifier + your dread necromancer level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. #### Spellcasting Ability Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your dread necromancer spells, since your willpower is what drives your spells. You use your Charisma whenever a dread necromancer spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a dread necromancer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
**Spell save DC** = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier **Spell Attack modifier** = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
#### Ritual Casting You can cast a dread necromancer spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared. #### Spellcasting Focus You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your dread necromancer spells. ### Dark Secrets You have mined the depths of your soul for secrets of dark magic. You can add two new spells to your spell list from any other spell list. The spells must be of a level you can cast and they must be of the necromancy school or impose exhaustion or the frightened condition. These spells count as dread necromancer spells for you. If they are 1st level or higher, you can then prepare them as you would prepare any other spell on your list. If they are cantrips, they do not count against your number of cantrips known. You gain an additional two new spell at 4th, 8th, and 12th level. When you gain a level in this class, you can replace one dark secret with a different spell. ### Dark Path When you reach 2nd level, you choose a dark path, shaping your practice of magic through one of several schools. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level. ### Channel Negative Energy At 2nd level, you start with three abilities: Rebuke Undead, Control Undead, and an effect determined by your path. Some paths grant you additional effects as you advance in levels, as noted in the path description. When you use your Channel Negative Energy, you choose which effect to create. You must then finish a short or long rest to use your Channel Negative Energy again. Some Channel Negative Energy effects require saving throws. When you use such an effect from this class, the DC equals your dread necromancer spell save DC. Beginning at 6th level, you can use your Channel Negative Energy twice between rests, and beginning at 18th level, you can use it three times between rests. When you finish a short or long rest, you regain your expended uses. #### Rebuke Undead You can channel negative energy to make undead awestruck. As an action, each undead that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is rebuked for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. A rebuked creature must spend its turns cowering in awe. It is incapacitated and can’t move. The rebuked automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws. Attack rolls against the creature have advantage. #### Control Undead As an action, you target one undead creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target must obey your commands for the next 24 hours, or until you use this Channel Negative Energy option again. An undead whose challenge rating is equal to or greater than your level is immune to this effect. ### Eyes of the Grave Beginning at 3rd level, when an undead under your control is within 100 feet of you, you gain the ability to use the senses. As an action, you can see through the undead's eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of any special senses that the undead has. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses. You can also use this power on any willing, free-willed undead within range. At 11th level, you can use this power on any undead you control, wherever it is. \page
### Aura of Doom Starting at 3rd level, you project a commanding aura that heightens the will to kill of undead around you. All undead of your choice within 10 feet add your Charisma modifier to damage rolls. The range of your aura of doom increases to 30 feet at level 15. ### Fear Aura Starting at 5th level, you can choose to emit a 5-foot-radius aura of supernatural fear. As a bonus action, you can raise or lower the aura. Each creature of your choice that starts its turn in the aura or that enters it during its turn must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes uneasy and hesitant until the start of its next turn. Creatures immune to being frightened are immune to this effect. While affected in this way, it has disadvantage on ability checks, it can't willingly move closer to you, and it has disadvantage on attack rolls against you. A target that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to your fear aura for the next 24 hours. ### Command Undead Starting at 5th level, when an undead of CR 1/2 or lower fails its saving throw against your Rebuke Undead feature, you can place the creature under your permanent control. The CR of undead increases as you gain levels. | Dread Necromancer Level| Commands Undead of CR... | |:----:|:-------------| | 5th | 1/2 or lower | | 8th | 1 or lower | | 11th | 2 or lower | | 14th | 3 or lower | | 17th | 4 or lower | You can command up to your Charisma modifier + your dread necromancer level of undead in this way. Undead with a CR over 1 count as their CR of undead (so a bloodhulk counts as 4 undead). If you attempt to command more undead after already being at this limit, you must first release control of other undead. ### Unliving Infusion By 7th level, you have begun to be resistant to the worst effects of the undead. You gain resistance to necrotic damage and immunity to disease. At 9th level, your maximum HP cannot be reduced. At 13th level, you gain immunity to necrotic damage. At 17th level, your ability scores cannot be reduced. ### Cloak of Unlife At 15th level, mindless undead recognize you as one of their own and will not attack you unless provoked. You gain advantage on Charisma checks made to interact with sentient undead. ``` ```
**Image used:** "[Battle Buddies](https://www.deviantart.com/thefirstangel/art/Battle-Buddies-Necromancer-646313616)" by TheFirstAngel
### Keeper of Secrets Beginning at 16th level, you become a true master of necromancy. All spells that would qualify for your Dark Secrets feature are added to your spell list. You can prepare them normally. ### Apotheosis of Unlife At 20th level, you can instantaneously transform yourself into a lich. Apply the **lich** template below.








**Image used:** "[Skeleton](http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG225.jpg)" by Brian Snoddy \page
## Dark Paths ### Path of the Nightmare >*“Fear cuts more deeply than any sword, consumes more completely han any spell. It rages like a conflagration, burning away the flesh of the weak, burning the weakness out of the strong. Fear is power, and that power is mine.”* > >—Illyra Zorren, dread witch, to her first apprentice Also called dread witches, Nightmare Path dread necromancers use fear as their deadliest weapon. As you grow in power, you can bring fear even to the hearts of paladins, liches, and inevitables. ##### Nightmare Path Features | Dread Necro Level | Feature | |:----:|:-------------| | 2nd | Bonus Proficiencies, Frighten, Channel Negative Energy: Invoke Terror | | 6th | Fearsome Will | | 10th | Penetrating Fear, Improved Fear Aura | | 14th | Absorb Fear | | 18th | Reflective Fear | #### Bonus Proficiencies You become proficient in Intimidation, and you add twice your proficiency bonus to Intimidation checks. #### Frighten As an action, choose one creature other than yourself within 120 feet that you can see. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you. The frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. #### Channel Negative Energy: Invoke Terror As an action, you channel the darkest emotions and focus them into a burst of magical menace. Each creature of your choice within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw if it can see or hear you. On a failed save, the target is frightened of you for 1 minute. If a creature frightened by this effect ends its turn more than 30 feet away from you, it can attempt another Wisdom saving throw to end the effect on it. #### Fearsome Will Starting at 6th level, you gain proficiency in Wisdom saves and advantage on saves against being frightened. #### Penetrating Fear Starting at 10th level, you can even frighten creatures that are immune to being frightened. Such creatures instead have advantage on saves against being frightened by you. ``` ``` #### Improved Fear Aura At 10th level, the radius of your Fear Aura increases to 15 feet. #### Absorb Fear Starting at 14th level, when you are targeted by an effect that would frighten you, your spells are considered to be cast in a slot 1 level higher than the slot used for as long as the fear would persist. You gain this benefit whether or not you save against the effect. #### Reflective Fear Starting at 18th level, if you successfully save against being frightened, the effect is reflected back. The creature that attempted to frighten you must immediately make a save against its own ability or be affected accordingly. ### Path of the Centurion For some necromancers, what is best in life is control over a massive horde of undead. ##### Centurion Path Features | Dread Necro Level | Feature | |:----:|:-------------| | 2nd | Undead Substitution, Channel Negative Energy: Aura of Defiance | | 6th | Undead Thralls | | 10th | Corpsecrafter | | 14th | Advanced Corpsecrafter | | 18th | Lord of Bones | #### Undead Substitution When you create an undead, you can replace it with any undead of equal or lower CR. For example, you could use *animate dead* to create a gnoll witherling (Volo's Guide to Monsters) or a yellow musk zombie (Tomb of Annihilation). #### Channel Negative Energy: Aura of Defiance As an action, you bolster the will of the undead. For 1 minute, you and all undead under your control are immune to being turned, and have advantage on saves against being charmed or frightened. #### Undead Thralls At 6th level, you always have Animate Dead prepared, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can have prepared. When you cast a spell that animates the dead or creates undead, you can target one additional corpse or pile of bones, creating another zombie or skeleton, as appropriate. Whenever you create an undead, it has additional benefits: - The creature's hit point maximum is increased by an amount equal to your dread necromancer level. - The creature adds your proficiency bonus to its weapon damage rolls. \page
#### Corpsecrafter At 10th level, you have learned to customize your undead to your needs. When you create an undead, you can choose up to 2 of the following benefits to grant it: - **Mighty Flesh:** Its Strength score increases by 4, and it gains bonus hit points equal to twice its hit dice. - **Resistant:** It has advantage on saves against being turned. - **Funeral Shrouds:** It cannot be detected by *divine sense, detect good and evil*, or similar effects. - **Necrotic Retribution:** Upon death, it explodes with negative energy out to a radius of 10 feet, doing half its maximum hit points as necrotic damage. Undead are instead healed for this value. A Constitution save against your spell DC halves the damage. - **Shadowborn:** It can see in magical darkness. It gains advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks while in darkness. - **Nimble Bones:** It gains +5 on Initiative checks, and it can take the Dash action as a bonus action. #### Advanced Corpsecrafter Beginning at 14th level, you have learned even mightier secrets of undead creation. When you create an undead, you can choose one of the following benefits to grant it: - **Regeneration:** It regains 1 hit point at the start of its turn. If the undead takes radiant damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the undead's next turn. The undead dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate. Undead with **Necrotic Retribution** cannot regenerate from exploding. - **Hardened Bones:** Its natural armor increases by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus. - **Elemental Corpse:** Its melee attacks do an extra 1d12 damage of a type of your choice, and it is immune to this damage type. - **Magical Dead:** It can cast one cantrip you can cast at will, and it can cast one first-level spell you can cast once a day. #### Lord of Bones At 18th level, the amount of undead you can create or reassert control over with a single casting of a spell doubles, as does the amount you can control with your Rebuke Undead. ### Path of the Rider Some necromancers live to create the best and the mightiest undead. You are one of these, binding one to your personal service and customizing it to fit your needs. ##### Rider Path Features | Dread Necro Level | Feature | |:----:|:-------------| | 2nd | Bonus Proficiencies, Create Bonded Undead, Channel Negative Energy: Bolster Undead | | 6th | Necrotic Bond | | 10th | Dark Tactics | | 14th | Guardian Spirit | | 18th | Greater Bonded Undead | #### Bonus Proficiencies You gain proficiency with medium armor and shields, and with alchemists' tools. #### Create Bonded Undead With 8 hours in a laboratory and appropriate materials, you can create a single undead with a CR equal to half your level (rounded down). The resulting creature is your bonded undead. It serves you loyally without needing to be magically commanded, though rival dread necromancers can rebuke it themselves. You can change the form of the bonded undead to any other undead of its CR or lower with 8 hours in a laboratory. Once you have "paid up" to a certain CR, you can freely change your undead between any form and CR up to that CR. See the formula below for calculating how much increasing your CR cap costs: So, for example, if you have paid up to CR 4 and you want to upgrade to a CR 5 creature, you compute: Your undead can either be one in the sourcebooks, or it can be an undead version of a living creature. See the templates at the end of this book. #### Channel Negative Energy: Bolster Undead As an action, you target one undead creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The undead gains advantage on all attack rolls and saving throws for 1 minute. #### Necrotic Bond At 6th level, you form a tighter bond with your bonded undead. As long as the two of you can see each other, neither of you can be frightened. Additionally, when you cast any spell that affects other creatures that you can see, you can choose to make your bonded undead automatically succeed on its saving throws against the spell. Your bonded undead takes no damage if it would normally take half damage on a successful save. #### Dark Tactics At 10th level, you can coordinate with your bonded undead. When you attack a target, or force it to make a saving throw, your bonded undead can use its reaction to make one attack against the target. #### Guardian Spirit By 14th level, you have learned the secret of binding your lifeforce to your bonded undead. If your bonded undead is within 60 feet of you, you can transfer half of any damage you take (rounded up) to your bonded undead. #### Greater Bonded Undead At 18th level, your bonded undead can be of a CR up to your level. \page
### Path of the Spiritcatcher The path of the spiritcatcher deals with ghosts, spectres, wraiths, and other incorporeal undead. Some who follow this path torture their victims into an eternity in service, while others seek out already-existing incorporeal beings and offer them a new purpose in unlife. ##### Spiritcatcher Path Features | Dread Necro Level | Feature | |:----:|:-------------| | 2nd | Expanded Spell List, Spirit Lore, Spirit Sight, Channel Negative Energy: Ghost Walk | | 6th | Ghostly Evasion | | 10th | Whispers of the Grave | | 14th | Cloak of Spirits | | 18th | Channel Negative Energy: Wrath of the Spirits | #### Expanded Spell List The following spells are added to the dread necromancer spell list for you. | Spell Level | Spells | |:----:|:-------------| | 1st | *ghost light, magic missile* | | 2nd | *invisibility, see invisibility* | | 3rd | *blink, remove curse* | | 4th | *arcane eye, Otiluke's resilient sphere* | | 5th | *sepulchral gaze of Chronepsis, wall of force* | #### Spirit Lore Whenever you make an Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (religion) check related to incorporeal undead, you are considered proficient in the Arcana or Religion skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. #### Spirit Sight You can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane when on the Material Plane, and vice versa. #### Channel Negative Energy: Ghost Walk Starting at 2nd level, as an action, you focus inward and become like a ghost. For one minute, you gain the following trait: ***Incorporeal Movement.*** You can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. You take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn inside an object. You also gain the following action option: ***Etherealness.*** You enter the Border Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. You are visible on the Material Plane while you are in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet you can't affect or be affected by anything on the other plane. ``` ``` #### Ghostly Evasion Starting at 6th level, you can leap into the Ethereal plane as an instant, almost instinctual reaction to danger. When you would take damage and are on a plane that borders the Ethereal, you can use your reaction to shift into the Ethereal plane. You take no damage unless the source of damage affects ethereal targets normally, and return to the spot you left at the start of your next turn. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. #### Bind the Soul At 10th level, you learn the secret of manipulating souls. When you kill a living creature with an Intelligence of at least 8, you can make a spellcasting ability check against DC 15. On a success, it rises as a ghost. The ghost is under your control, and obeys your orders unquestioningly. It remains for 1 minute or until your concentration is broken (as if concentrating on a spell). #### Cloak of Spirits By 14th level, the spirits guard you from crossing over to their realm. When you drop to 0 hit points, you can expend a 5th level or higher spell slot to immediately regain 1 hit point (no action required). #### Channel Negative Energy: Wrath of the Spirits At 18th level, you can call upon the spirits to bring doom to your foes. As an action, choose any number of creatures within a 90 foot cone. All affected creatures suffer disadvantage on all saves until your concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell), up to one minute.

















**Image used:** "[Card Image - Banshee](https://www.deviantart.com/reaper78/art/Card-image-Banshee-120653224)" by reaper78 \page
### Path of the Plaguebringer Pestilence, death, decay. The Plaguebringer, also called a cancer mage, introduces these horrors to his or her foes. If you are playing a cancer mage, consider asking your DM to incorporate more diseases. Two good lists are [here](https://noblecrumpet-dorkvision.tumblr.com/post/147010640259/new-diseases-for-dd-5e) and [here](https://daemonsanddeathrays.wordpress.com/2016/11/13/diseases-and-plagues-sinister-sickness-for-dd-5th-edition/). ##### Plaguebringer Features | Dread Necro Level | Feature | |:----:|:-------------| | 2nd | Disease Host, Channel Negative Energy: Infect | | 6th | Viral Agent | | 10th | Scabrous Touch | | 14th | Soul of Resilience | | 18th | Disease Form | #### Disease Host You suffer no ill effects of diseases, except for purely cosmetic ones such as boils, pockmarks, watery eyes, blackened skin, hair loss, foul smell, and so on. You become a carrier of every disease you encounter, though you remain immune to their effects. No source can grant you immunity to disease, but anything that would instead offers he power to hide all cosmetic effects if you so please. #### Channel Negative Energy: Infect As an action, you target one creature within 60 feet that you can see, blasting it with a disease drawn from your own body. That creature's immune system is compromised by the flood of negative energy, giving disadvantage on Constitution saves for the next minute. If the creature takes piercing or slashing damage before the end of your next turn, it is afflicted with one disease that you carry of your choice. The disease can spread to other creatures as normal. #### Viral Agent At 6th level, you befriend a disease or virus that infests your body. You sacrifice one point of intelligence to make it smarter. You have a telepathic agent with this disease that functions at a range of one mile per class level of the cancer mage. You can attempt to infect a target with your viral agent, using your *infect* ability or any spells or affects that spread disease. If successful, the viral agent can tell you telepathically what its host experiences. In all other respects, the viral agent is a normal disease; if the victim fights it off or a *lesser restoration* spell is used, the disease and the viral agent die. You regain the Intelligence point 24 hours after the viral agent dies. You can create as many viral agents as you are willing to devote Intelligence points toward. #### Scabrous Touch Starting at 10th level, you can cast *contagion* without requiring any components. You regain the ability to do this after you finish a short or long rest. #### Soul of Resilience The viruses cultivating within your body have made both your mind and your body more resilient. Beginning at 14th level, you are proficient in all saving throws. #### Disease Form At 18th level, you gain the ability to transform into a disease once per day. (This ability also affects any gear you are wearing or carrying) As a disease, you are intangible and invisible to standard methods of observation, even blindsight. Creatures with the scent ability note a foulness in the air. You cannot move, except with the wind (if any), or within a host. Transforming into a disease is an action, and when you take this action you can attempt to infect a living creature within 100 feet. A potential victim must succeed at a Constitution save against your spell save DC to avoid being infected with you. Any creature that comes within 10 feet of a cancer mage in disease form is subject to the saving throw to resist infection as well. Once inside an infected host, 24 hours pass before any symptoms become visible. After that point, the creature gains one level of exhaustion. At the end of each long rest, an infected creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the character gains one level of exhaustion. On a successful save, the character's exhaustion level decreases by one level. If a successful saving throw reduces the infected creature's level of exhaustion below 1, the creature recovers from the disease. The victim has no way of knowing that you are anything other than a normal illness. You travel with the victim, aware of whatever the victim is aware of. A number of times per day equal to your Charisma bonus, you can attempt to force the victim to take one round's worth of actions of your choosing; a successful Wisdom save against your spell save DC allows the victim to resist this. While controlling your victim, you have access to all skills, feats, spells, and special abilities of the host, plus any of your own that you can use in your disembodied state. You can leave your host at any time, allowing the victim to recover normally. The victim can also attempt to force you out by making Constitution saves as if you were a normal disease. Medicine checks help the victim as they would normally. A *lesser restoration* spell kills you if you fail a Constitution save (DC of the caster's save DC). Even if you succeed at the saving throw, you are forced to reassume your material form adjacent to the victim. You can remain in disease form as long as you desires, or you can return to your natural form and be done with the disease form for that day. While in disease form, you do not need to eat, sleep, drink, or breathe, and you do not age. You could remain dormant in a room for a hundred years, then take on your material form or infect a new vict+im. > *“Necromantic metabolism and faith are indistinguishable. What is animation of fallow tissue if not faith so pure and undiluted that it can reach past the grave?”* > > —Gulthias, vampiric head of Ashardalon’s Cult \page
### Path of the Death Master The death master is a champion of Orcus, sent to murder the living and raise them as undead. Almost everyone who follows this path is completely and irredeemably evil, but once in an age Orcus bestows this power on a good-hearted soul, presumably to delight in their horror and self-loathing. ##### Death Master Features | Dread Necro Level | Feature | |:----:|:-------------| | 2nd | Bonus Proficiencies, Master of the Dead, Channel Negative Energy: Cull the Herd | | 6th | Fell Animate | | 10th | Executioner | | 14th | Vile Magic | | 18th | Leech, Greater Culling | #### Bonus Proficiencies You gain proficiency with all martial weapons, and with the poisoner's kit. Scythes are popular among death masters. #### Master of the Dead As a herald of Orcus, you are the unquestioned master of the living dead. An undead creature must make a Charisma save vs. your spell save DC in order to attack you in any way. If the undead creature's save fails, the undead creature cannot take any aggressive action against you for 24 hours. If the undead creature succeeds in this save, it can act normally for 24 hours. After this time, it must save again. While under the effects of this ability, an undead creature cannot take any direct action against you, but it could order its minions to attack, cast spells to boost its allies who can attack you, and so on. Undead creatures with an Intelligence score of 6 or less automatically fail this save unless another creature controls them, such as another dread necromancer. In this case, the creature that controls the unintelligent undead makes a save on its behalf. #### Channel Negative Energy: Cull the Herd As an action, you call upon Orcus's power to slay the weak and helpless. All creatures within 60 feet with 5 hit points or below must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, they die instantly. Sleeping or unconscious creatures at 5 hit points or lower receive no save; they automatically die. Additionally, all animals without stats (such as nonmonstrous insects) within range automatically die. You do not need line of sight to any of the creatures. Creatures killed in this way rise in 24 hours as free-willed undead of the DM's choosing (typically zombies, although if a large amount die at once a casurua would be very appropriate). #### Fell Animate Starting at 6th level, when you kill a humanoid, it rises as a zombie under your control for 1 minute. It then becomes inert, but it can be animated normally later (and Cull the Herd will still animate it 24 hours later).
**Image used:** "[Keep Away the Dead](https://www.deviantart.com/robshields/art/Keep-Away-the-Dead-410353783)" by RobShields
#### Executioner At 10th level, you draw power from taking lives. After you personally kill a sentient creature, you gain advantage on all saving throws until the end of your next turn. #### Vile Magic Beginning at 14th level, all damage you do with spells and Channel Negative Energy is considered vile damage. > ##### Vile Damage? > > Vile damage does not represent a specific type, but rather a trait any type of damage can have (for example, there could be vile force damage, or vile necrotic damage). It represents a horrific violation to a character’s body or soul. It reduces maximum HP by the same amount as the damage done. This hp reduction can *only* be healed through the creature receiving magical healing while inside the area of a *hallow* spell. #### Greater Culling At 18th level, the range of your Channel Negative Energy: Cull the Herd increases to 600 feet, and the threshold increases to 10 hit points. #### Leech Starting at 18th level, whenever you kill a creature, you regain hit points equal to your class level. You don't gain this benefit for killing constructs or undead. \page
### Path of the Uttercold Lord Dead are cold. The connection between cold and negative energy is a strange but strong one. Uttercold Lords are masters of this mysterious link, and specialize in laying waste with powerful blasts of freezing energy. ##### Uttercold Lord Features | Dread Necro Level | Feature | |:----:|:-------------| | 2nd | Uttercold, Channel Negative Energy: Soul Freeze | | 6th | Expanded Dark Secrets, Cold's Shield | | 10th | Lingering Chill | | 14th | Penetrating Cold | | 18th | Frore Heart | #### Uttercold Whenever you do cold damage, you can choose to have the spell deal no damage to undead, and instead heal them by an amount equal to the cold damage done. #### Channel Negative Energy: Soul Freeze Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to wield the power of winter's fury. When you roll cold damage, you can use your Channel Divinity to deal maximum cold damage, instead of rolling. #### Expanded Dark Secrets At 6th level, you can use your Dark Secrets to learn any spell that can lower the temperature around you (such as *control weather*), or a spell that deals cold damage. A spell may deal multiple types of damage (such as *chromatic orb*), but one of these damage types must be cold. #### Cold's Shield Also at 6th level, you gain resistance to cold damage. #### Lingering Chill Starting at 10th level, your cold blasts remain behind long after you fire them. All cold damage you do is frostburn damage (assuming it's cold enough), and a creature damaged by your cold blasts has its speed halved until the start of your next turn. #### Penetrating Cold Beginning at 14th level, your cold spells are so potent they even pierce defenses. A creature is resistant or immune to your cold damage only if it is also resistant or immune to necrotic damage. If it is immune to one and resistant to the other, it is resistant to your damage. #### Frore Heart At 18th level, you are a true master of the cold, granting you several benefits: - You are immune to cold damage. - Your movement is never impeded by snow or ice. - Whenever you cast a spell that deals cold damage and affects one or more targets (and not an area), all affected targets must make a Constitution saving throw or be *slowed* (as the spell). - Whenever you cast a spell that deals cold damage and affects an area, the area becomes slick with ice. It becomes difficult terrain. When the ice appears, each creature standing in its area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. A creature that enters the area or ends its turn there must also succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. This effect lasts until the ice is thawed.


**Next page's image used:** "[At the Mountains of Madness](https://www.deviantart.com/mf-jeff/art/At-the-Mountains-of-Madness-159778208)" by mf-jeff \page
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# Backgrounds Backgrounds give your character personality and flair. For more, see the [Backgrounds Omnibus](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1glN1XjMwDz_K3EucJsx6OtKJ6TrwdU2J/view) for Cultist, Doctor, Shaman, and Undertaker. ### Necrologist A necrologist studies every aspect of undeath. Your knowledge might be more theoretical, involving perusing ancient tomes, or it could be primarily hands-on, gained from years battling the unliving and learning their weaknesses. **Skill Proficiences:** Arcana, Religion **Tool Proficiencies:** poisoner's kit **Language Proficiencies:** One of your choice #### Field of Expertise Most necrologists have a couple types of undead they are particularly well-educated in. Choose 1-3 types or roll on the table below to define your expertise as a necrologist. | d20 | Undead | d20 | Undead | |:----:|:-------------|:----:|:-------------| | 1 | Death Knights | 7 | Specters | 2 | Ghosts | 8 | Vampires | | 3 | Ghouls | 9 | Wights | | 4 | Liches | 10 | Wraiths | | 5 | Mummies | 11 |Zombies | | 6 | Skeletons | 12-20 | Other | #### Feature: Necrology You are well versed in the lore of undead creatures. You can recall the probable lairs, general abilities (such as paralysis or life drain), dining habits, and history of such creatures (no check needed). Whenever you confront an undead, you can usually determine its general type (such as ghoul), and at the DM's discretion you may be able to specifically identify the creature (discerning between a ghast and a common ghoul, for instance). This may require an Intelligence check at the DM's discretion. In addition, with an appropriate Intelligence check, you may be able to recall the creature's specific weaknesses and natural defenses or immunities. | d6 | Flaw | |:----:|:-------------| | 1 | Sometimes I act like those creatures I study, I have bitten my fair share of people. | 2 | I follow a god of undeath and devote myself to their teachings. | 3 | Life and death are simply two different states of being, it matters little which a body is in. The material components remain the same. | | 4 | My studies have led me to walk in dark places the weak willed could never hope to tread. I now walk a line between fearless and reckless. |5 | I would never admit it to another, but I would gladly sacrifice anything or anyone to gain the power I seek. | 6 |There is a beauty in death, a grace, one need only be close to it to see the splendor, I share it with all I may. | d6 | Ideal | |:----:|:-------------| | 1 | **Knowledge.** The more I know about the undead, the safer me and my friends will be. (Any) | 2 | **Understanding.** The veil of undeath is mysterious, and I want to solve its mysteries. (Lawful) | 3 | **Power.** As I master the secrets of undeath, I will gain power over both the living and the dead. (Evil) | 4 | **Community.** Undead manual labor *is* the solution to make my community thrive. I just need to find out how to control them. (Good) | | 5 | **Longevity.** The study of undeath should assure my lifespan is extended far beyond its normal limits. (Neutral) | | 6 | **Independence.** The undead live apart from society, acting as they please. | d8 | Personality Trait | |:----:|:-------------| | 1 | I carefully keep notes on any undead I encounter, making particular notice of what's effective against them.| | 2 | I am interested in achieving undeath myself. | | 3 | I consider all undead my enemies, and work tirelessly to destroy them.| | 4 | I see to it that last rites are carried out properly, so no angry ghosts return. | | 5 | I keep dozens of holy symbols to numerous gods, so when I use Turn Undead at least one of them will smile upon me. | | 6 | I take samples of undead I kill for further study. | | 7 | I rely on my faith in my god or philosophy when facing the undead. | | 8 | I listen to local legends whenever I can, so I can figure out the weaknesses or wishes of lingering ghosts in the area. | | d6 | Bond | |:----:|:-------------| | 1 | My bestiary of undead horrors is my most important possession. | 2 | I watched a loved one die to the undead, and I will not rest until the world is safe from them. | | 3 | I love learning as much as I can about a certain type of undead. | | 4 | I will achieve lichdom (or some other powerful form of undeath). | 5 | Undeath is a gift. It should be shared with those who desire it. | | 6 | I believe that there are new undead being created every day, I want to find them and destroy them. | \page
# Equipment This is an abridged version of my [equipment guide](http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/r1bi0kLN5X), focusing on items that fit thematically with the rest of the book. ### Mundane Equipment ##### Adventuring Gear | Item | Cost | Weight | |:-------------|:----:|:----:| | Alchemical flare bolt (10)| 150 gp | 1 lb. | | Alchemical flare stake | 150 gp | 1 lb. | | *Ammunition* | | | | Sling bullet, priest's | 1gp | 1½ lb. | | Angel radiance | 20 gp | — | | *Arcane focus* | | | Runed skull | 10 gp | 3 lb. | | Aspergellum | 5 gp | 3 lb. | | Atramen oil | 50 gp | 1 lb. | | Bladefire | 20 gp | 1 lb. | | Book of prayers | 50 gp | 3 lb. | | Brittlebone (flask) | 30 gp | 1/2 lb. | | Clothes, priest's | 5 gp | 6 lb. | | Defoliator | 20 gp | 1 lb. | | Embalming fire (flask) | 20 gp | 1/2 lb. | | Fast Torch | 5 gp | 1/2 lb. | | Ghostoil (flask) | 50 gp | 1 lb. | | Ghostwall shellac (bottle) | 150 gp | 1 lb. | | Gravebane (flask) | 25 gp | 1 lb | | Healing Salve | 50 gp | — | | Helmet, miner's | 1 gp | 1 lb. | | Holy wafers (10) | 2 sp | — | | Jade rod | 100 gp | — | | Liquid ice | 30 gp | 1 lb. | | Liquid night (flask) | 150 gp | 1/2 lb. | | Mummy mites, jar of | 75 gp | 1 lb. | | Necromantic totem | 500 gp | — | | Panther tears (vial) | 60 gp | — | | Portable pyre | 10 gp | 16 lb. | | Scroll organizer | 5 gp | 1/2 lb. | | Trollbane (vial) | 90 gp | — | | True holy symbol | 500 gp | — | | Unholy water (flask) | 25 gp | 1 lb. | ***Alchemical Flare Bolt.*** The head of this alchemically prepared crossbow bolt contains a blend of phosphorus, silver particles, garlic, and other alchemical substances to ignite desiccated flesh. An alchemical flare bolt that hits a corporeal undead deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage. A living creature struck by a flare bolt takes normal bolt damage with no extra fire damage. ***Alchemical Flare Stake.*** Treat this alchemically prepared wooden stake as a dagger. However, it is destroyed after one successful attack. An alchemical flare stake that hits a corporeal undead deals an additional 1d6 points of fire damage and lodges within the creature's body. Each embedded stake deals 1d6 points of fire damage to the undead creature at the end of its turn. The creature can remove all embedded stakes as an action. A living creature struck by a flare stake takes normal dagger damage with no additional fire damage. ***Angel Radiance.*** This speck of dust carried in a tiny vial provides nonmagical golden light as a torch, but does not burn. It can be covered but cannot be extinguished. ***Arcane Focus (Runed Skull).*** This skull has been meticulously engraved with runes of power to channel arcane energies. ***Aspergillum.*** This lightweight metal device looks like a club or a mace. It contains a reservoir that can hold up to 3 pints (three flasks) of holy water. By shaking the aspergillum as an action, you can sprinkle one flask of holy water on a target within 5 feet. This action is a melee weapon attack, and you are proficient with it if you are proficient with the mace. Many adventurers prefer using an aspergillum to dispense holy water rather than throwing or pouring out the contents of a flask. You can refill the aspergellum as an action. ***Atramen Oil.*** This substance is cold pressed from atramen fruit that grows on shoals of Elemental Earth that have drifted too close to the Negative Energy Plane. As an action, you can throw this flask up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged attack against a creature, treating the atraman oil as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target suffers disadvantage on Constitution saving throws until the start of your next turn. ***Bladefire.*** Similar to alchemist’s fire but less volatile, this thick, adhesive liquid ignites when exposed to air. Bladefire is typically poured along the length of a bladed weapon, causing the weapon to burn for a short period of time. A weapon treated with bladefire burns for 1 minute. While burning, the weapon sheds light as a torch. A weapon treated with bladefire deals 1 additional point of fire damage with each successful hit. Applying bladefire to a weapon is an action. Bladefire is thick enough that once applied, it does not flow down the weapon, preventing it from harming the user. Setting flammable items alight requires more contact than just an attack. To light a flammable item requires an action. \page
***Book of Prayers.*** A book of prayers is an ornately illustrated tome, consecrated to a specific god, religion, philosophy, or ideal. With book in hand, a character can take an action to pray, chanting scriptures from the book of prayers. The character reading aloud from the text may make a DC 10 Charisma (Performance) check to aid a believer of the book's faith in its attempt to turn or rebuke undead or other creatures. On a success, the next turn or rebuke attempt made within the next minute can impose disadvantage on one creature's save. A turner or rebuker can only be aided by one other character using a book of prayers. You can read from a book written for a faith that you do not worship, but your Charisma check is at disadvantage. ***Brittlebone.*** This unguent must be spread over a set of bones before animation as a skeleton. The ointment reduces the skeleton’s Constitution by 2 points, but when the skeleton is destroyed, its bones splinter and fly apart, sending shards in all directions. Any creature within 5 feet of the skeleton takes 1d4 point of piercing damage per HD of the skeleton, or half on a successful DC 15 Dexterity save. ***Clothes, Priest's.*** These ecclesiastical clothes are for performing priestly functions for a specific church or faith. They can make getting access to a temple easier, or convince undead that their wearer is a cleric (either frightening the undead, or goading it into focusing its attacks on the wearer). The DM is the final arbiter of their usefulness. ***Defoliator.*** This vile liquid has a muddy brown hue and smells of rotten plant life. As an action, you can throw this flask up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged attack against a creature or object, treating the defoliator as an improvised weapon. Alternatively, you can drop it at your feet, automatically hitting in your space. It deals 2d4 points of necrotic damage to plant creatures and kills normal plants of Medium-size or smaller. It also kills all normal plants of Small size or smaller within 5 feet of its impact. Wooden objects such as doors and wooden weapons also take damage from defoliator. ***Embalming Fire.*** You can pour this bitter-smelling liquid out as an action. It must be poured over a corpse and allowed to soak for at least 1 minute before the corpse is animated as a zombie. Once animated, if the zombie takes even a single point of damage, it bursts into blue flame for 1 minute. This fire deals no damage to it, but the zombie's melee weapon attacks during that time each deal an extra 1d6 points of fire damage. ***Fast Torch.*** This item consists of a tube of waxed paper set into a short wooden handle. The end opposite the handle has a wax seal, and the whole item is about the size of a normal torch. An alchemical substance packed inside the tube ignites when exposed to air. Lighting the torch is as simple as removing the wax seal, which requires a bonus action or your interaction with an object. The lit torch produces a brilliant white light that produces bright illumination in a 30-foot radius and shadowy illumination 30 feet beyond that. A fast torch burns for 10 minutes, even in high winds or underwater (though it can't be ignited underwater). It's possible to extinguish a fast torch by burying it in sand (or a similar substance) or by grinding it out against a nonflammable surface. Either method requires an action; once extinguished, it can't be relit. ***Ghostoil.*** Applying this liquid to a weapon takes an action. After being applied, the weapon deals full damage to incorporeal undead for 1 minute. ***Ghostwall Shellac.*** Ghostwall shellac must be mixed with 1 gallon of water to become active. The mixture is then spread over any nonliving surface, most commonly the walls of a room. Coating a 10-foot square with prepared shellac takes 1 minute, and 1 gallon of the green liquid covers 10 such squares. Whether it is applied to a surface or left in a container, the shellac dries and hardens 1 hour after being mixed with water. When ghostwall shellac dries, it changes the composition of the surface upon which it has been spread. Incorporeal creatures can no longer pass through a coated wall any more than normal creatures can. The shellac also causes the wall to simultaneously exist on the Ethereal Plane for a limited time, so creatures on that plane cannot see through or pass through the space it occupies. When applying ghostwall shellac to the walls of a room, remember to coat the floor and ceiling as well. Ghostwall shellac lasts for 4d6 hours once applied. ***Gravebane.*** As an action, you can splash the contents of this vial onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw the vial up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case, the area fills with smoke that undead find revolting. In order to pass through, an undead must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom save. On a failure, the undead cannot move through the smoke. It can, however, attack a creature that is standing in the smoke. The smoke lasts for 1 minute or until dispelled by strong wind. ***Healing Salve.*** Rubbing this stinky green paste into wounds promotes rapid healing. Applying the salve is an action. One dose heals 1d8 + 1 points of damage. This has no effect on undead or constructs. ***Helmet, Miner’s.*** This metal pot helm has a small enclosure on the front, similar to a bullseye lantern. It can hold one candle, which illuminates a cone 10 feet long. The candle is commonly imbued with a *light* or *continual flame* spell. Alternatively, it can hold angel radiance, illuminating as normal. ***Holy Wafers (10).*** Holy wafers refer to any food specifically created and sanctified for use in a religious ceremony. Commonly in the form of small, stylized bread wafers impressed with religious images, holy wafers have few uses outside of sacred rituals. However, these unassuming wafers are also one of the most effective methods of dispatching vampires. Destroying a vampire's body is often difficult without access to powerful spells like *disintegration*, and even staking the creature and burning it might prove dangerous if the stake burns first. Yet filling a vampire's mouth with holy wafers and cutting off its head is a relatively simple feat and effectively prevents it from returning to undeath. Divine spells that create food, such as *goodberry*, can also be used to the same effect as holy wafers. Holy wafers can be purchased at most temples or shrines. \page
***Liquid Ice.*** This viscous liquid becomes extremely cold when exposed to air. As an action, you can splash the liquid in this flask within 5 feet of you or throw it up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. It can freeze the surface of a 10-foot-square area of water or smother a like area of fire. If it freezes water, the ice becomes difficult terrain until melted. When the ice appears, each creature standing in its area must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. A creature that enters the area or ends its turn there must also succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. ***Liquid Night.*** This dark, sticky fluid provides a daylight-sensitive undead creature with temporary protection from the sun's deadly rays. It allows the creature to ignore any vulnerability to sunlight for a full hour. If subjected to a spell or magical effect that would cause extra damage or an additional effect to an undead creature that is vulnerable to sunlight, the creature is treated as not having that vulnerability (however, this also burns away the liquid night, ending the protection against either mundane or magical sunlight). Liquid night has a distinct musky odor of moonflower (one of its ingredients). Spreading liquid night over a creature's body requires an action. A single flask of the substance is sufficient for a single creature of Medium size or smaller. A Large creature requires two flasks, a Huge creature four flasks, and a Gargantuan creature eight or more flasks. ***Mummy Mites, Jar of.*** These ant-sized insects voraciously feed on dead flesh. No one knows whether these ravenous vermin are natural creatures or magically manipulated creations, but regardless, they make formidable weapons against all kinds of corporeal undead. Mummy mites are often stored in glass flasks as tiny, gray inert eggs. Make a ranged weapon attack with the jar to hit a target. Upon hitting a target, a flask of mummy mites breaks, spilling eggs over a 5-foot square. These eggs do not react to living creatures, but if they land within 5 feet of dead flesh, they immediately hatch and attack on the next round. Active mummy mites prey upon necrotic flesh, regardless of whether it’s moving, and attack any corpse or corporeal undead creature nearby. Once they find a body to attack, they feast on it to the exclusion of all other food sources for 1 minute, after which they die. Mummy mites do not attack living creatures. Treat a swarm of mummy mites as a **swarm of insects (beetles)**, except instead of doing piercing damage they do radiant damage, and they do no damage to living creatures. ***Necromantic Totem.*** If you can rebuke undead or other creatures, while you wield this arcane focus you can impose disadvantage on the save of one creature against your ability. ***Panther Tears.*** When applied to your eyes, you gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet for 1 hour. However, while in sunlight, you have disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. One vial has enough for one dose. ***Portable Pyre.*** A good undead hunter takes advantage of the absolute stupidity of mindless undead. A portable pyre is essentially a bundle of oil-soaked logs and tindertwigs bound together. When untied and quickly rolled out over an empty 5-foot square as an action, the tindertwigs immediately ignite the highly flammable kindling. A portable pyre can also be unrolled more carefully so it does not ignite, an act that takes two actions. Once laid out in this manner, the roll ignites if exposed to fire. Creatures that enter the same square as a lit portable pyre or start their turn there suffer 1d6 points of fire damage. A portable pyre burns for 10 minutes, although 10 gallons of water extinguish the flames. It cannot be used again after being unrolled. Portable pyres cannot be wielded as weapons and are only effective when laid upon a flat surface, making them particularly useful in small hallways or when placed in the path of turned undead. ***Scroll Organizer.*** This long strip of leather has an overlapping series of fifteen pockets sewn along one side, each large enough to hold a scroll of a single spell. When slipped into a pocket, only the top of a scroll shows, allowing you to scan the scrolls’ titles. ***Sling Bullet, Priest's (20).*** These sling bullets are designed to be filled with holy water (bought separately, 1 vial filling 5 bullets) and shatter upon hit. On a hit, if the target is a fiend or undead, it takes 1 additional point of radiant damage. ***Taint Talisman.*** There are natural substances that absorb diseases and curses and thus protect those who carry them. Some examples include a pure jade rod the size of a human finger, a sheet of vellum prepared from the skin of a month-old lamb, an intricately carved piece of lightning-struck oak, or a silk sash. If you carry multiple taint talismans items, they all decompose gradually at the same time. Carrying more than three items at once causes the additional ones to decay at the same rate without providing benefit, so you can never benefit from more than three at once. The first time you are targeted by a curse or disease while this talisman is on your person, the talisman absorbs it. It then becomes dark, soft, useless, and worthless. ***Trollbane.*** Trollbane interferes with the natural ability of certain creatures to regenerate their flesh. Trollbane is coated on weapons or applied to ammunition like injury poisons, and stays on the blade for 1 minute. Any creature struck by a weapon that has been coated in trollbane loses the benefit of its regeneration trait at the start of the its next turn. ***True Holy Symbol.*** If you can turn undead, fiends, or other creatures, while you wield this holy symbol you can impose disadvantage on the save of one creature against your ability. ***Unholy Water.*** As an action, you can splash the contents of this flask onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw it up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case, make a ranged attack against a target creature, treating the unholy water as an improvised weapon. If the target is a celestial, it takes 2d6 acid damage. A cleric, dread necromancer, or paladin may create unholy water by performing a special ritual. The ritual takes 1 hour to perform, uses 25 gp worth of powdered silver, and requires the caster to expend a 1st-level spell slot. \page
### Armor ***Bonecraft Armor (+0 gp, -50%lb).*** Any medium or heavy armor can be made bonecraft, and any bonecraft armor costs the same as regular armor. Only paladins of the Oath of Bones can use bonecraft armor effectively; all other creatures are not proficient with it. When wearing bonecraft armor, you gain advantage on Intimidation checks. Bonecraft armor is not made of metal, and consequently is not affected by spells such as *heat metal* or a rust monster's touch. ***Flametouched Armor (+1000 gp, +0lb).*** While wearing armor crafted of flametouched iron, if you are grappling an undead or fiend, or one is grappling you, the undead or fiend takes 1 radiant damage at the start of its turn. Once per day, you can gain advantage on a saving throw against an ability from an undead or fiend. Flametouched iron can only be applied to armor made using at least some metal; thus, it cannot be applied to padded, leather, or hide armor (but studded leather works). ***Tower Shield.*** When carried, you gain +4 to AC but cannot attack, cast spells that require somatic or material components, or use objects. A holy symbol emblazoned on your shield enables you to cast spells that require non-expensive material components. With one minute of preparation, the tower shield can be planted in the ground, where it is an obstacle that provides three-quarters cover to creatures behind it. ### Weapons ***Aspergillum, Heavy (100gp, 4lb.)*** This aspergillum can be used as a warhammer. Additionally, you can press a button upon its hilt (no action required) to make your next attack deal bonus damage as if you had splashed the target with holy water. Hit or miss, the holy water is expended. The heavy aspergillum can hold 3 doses of holy water. ***Executioner's Mace.*** The executioner’s mace is Kyuss's favorite weapon. A combination axe and maul fitted with a long spike, it lets you choose whether to deal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage on a hit. The executioner's mace is eligible for Fell Handed. ***Flametouched Iron (+1000 gp, +0lb).*** This weapon deals normal damage against all creatures except fiends and undead. You can choose to treat all damage done by this weapon towards fiends and undead as radiant instead. Making a weapon out of flametouched iron increases its cost by 1000 gp, and can only be done to a weapon at least partially made of metal. ***Scythe.*** If you score a critical hit with this weapon, you roll damage dice three times, instead of twice. ***Spiked Chain.*** On a hit you can forgo dealing damage and attempt to trip the target, in which case the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or fall prone. The DC is 8 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus.
##### Armor | Armor | Cost | Armor Class (AC) | Strength | Stealth | Weight | |:-------------|:----:|:-------------|:----:|:----:|:----:| | Tower shield | 30 gp | +4 | Str 13, special | Disadvantage | 45 lb. |
##### Simple Melee Weapons | Name | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties | |:-------------|:----:|:----:|:----:|:-------------| | Longspear | 5 gp | 1d4 piercing | 9 lb. | Heavy, reach, two-handed |
##### Martial Melee Weapons | Name | Cost | Damage | Weight | Properties | |:-------------|:----:|:----:|:----:|:-------------| | Aspergillum, heavy | 100 gp | 1d8 bludgeoning | 4 lb. | Versatile (1d10) | | Executioner's mace | 125 gp | 2d6 bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing | 12 lb. | Heavy, two-handed | | Scythe | 18 gp | 1d8 slashing | 10 lb. | Heavy, special, two-handed | Spiked chain | 25 gp | 2d4 piercing | 10 lb. | Finesse, heavy, special, two-handed |
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### Optional Material Components Some of the materials described below boost the level a spell is cast at. Equivalent materials exist for the other schools, but they are beyond the scope of this work. Search "optional material components" if you are interested. After using an optional spell component listed here, the component is consumed. You can only use one component at a time. ##### Optional Spell Components | Item | Cost | Weight | |:-------------|:----:|:----:| | Covadish Leaves | 750 gp | — | | Crypt powder | 150 gp | — | | Irian Crystal | 150 gp | — | | Kieros Leaves | 150 gp | — | | Mabar Crystal | 50 gp | — | | Skiurid nugget | 1000 gp | — | ***Covadish Leaves.*** The covadish plant grows on the island of Aerenal in the Eberron campaign setting, where it is highly valued by the elves for its necromantic properties. When used as a component in a necromancy spell of 1st level or higher, roll a d10. On a roll of 8 or higher, increase the level it is cast at by 2. ***Crypt Powder.*** During the long years in which a powerful necromancer lies decaying in its tomb, some of the magic that infused his bones seeps into the surrounding walls. If one of these stones is then shattered in a particular way, the resulting dust sometimes retains that power. When used as a component in the casting of any spell of 1st level or higher that targets either corpses or undead, the spell is considered to be cast at one level higher than the slot used. ***Irian Crystal.*** This transparent crystal glows with a soft white light. When you use this crystal as a component for any spell that restores hit points, roll a d20. On a roll of 18 or higher, the spell heals the maximum possible value. ***Kieros Leaves.*** The herb known as kieros grows only in the region of Aerenal known as the Madwood. When you use these leaves as a component for any spell that deals necrotic damage and requires a saving throw, roll a d10. On a roll of 8 or higher, all targets suffer disadvantage on their saving throws. ***Mabar Crystal.*** This inky black crystal, dark as obsidian and slightly translucent, is connected to the nature of darkness. When a chunk is used as a component in any spell that creates darkness, roll a d10. On a roll of 7 or higher, the radius of the effect is doubled. ***Skiurid Nugget.*** These little orbs of negative energy can be used as a material component in a necromancy spell of 1st level or higher. When you cast the spell, roll a d10. On a roll of 6 or higher, the spell is cast as if at 2 levels higher. \page
# Customization Options As described in the Player's Handbook, feats and multiclassing allow more options for you to customize your character. ## Feats ### Dark Speech *Prerequisite: Intelligence 15 or higher, Charisma 15 or higher* > ##### Note > > This feat may be restricted for roleplay reasons. Double-check with your DM. You have mastered the terrifyingly complex and gruesome language known as the Dark Speech, and can use it for a variety of purposes.
**Dark Speech save DC** = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence or Charisma modifier
Note that many of these abilities affect all non-evil targets within a range. If you are non-evil, they affect you as well. *Corruption:* As an action, you can whisper vile words at an inanimate object and permanently reduce its AC by 5, as well as halve its damage threshold if applicable. This use does not drain you, but a single object cannot be affected by this effect more than once. *Dark Unity:* As an action, you can cause a hivemind to emerge in a swarm within 5 feet. You take 1d12 psychic damage, and the swarm gains Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores equal to yours if they weren't already higher. It also becomes an evil alignment chosen by the DM. *Dread:* As an action, you can cause terror or awe. You take 3d12 psychic damage, and each creature within 30 feet of you that can hear you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, a non-evil creature is frightened of you for 1 minute, while an evil creature is charmed by you for 1 minute. *Insanity:* As an action, you whisper words of incredible wickedness to form grotesque visions in the minds of those who hear you. You take 4d12 psychic damage, and each creature other than you within 15 feet must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it is affected as if by a *confusion* spell for 1 minute. *Outburst:* As an action, you scream filthy curses and insults. You take 2d12 psychic damage, and each non-evil creature within 60 feet must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is deafened for 1 minute. *Pain:* As an action, you can chant words of absolute evil. You take 1d12 psychic damage, and each non-evil creature within 15 feet of you that can hear you takes 3d6 psychic damage. *Power:* As a bonus action, when you cast a spell or use an ability that forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist its effects, you can take 3d12 psychic damage to give one target of the spell disadvantage on its first saving throw made against the spell or ability. All of these effects deal double damage to you if you possess the Words of Creation feat. ### Eclectic Learning *Prerequisite: Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature* You have a strange collection of spells, directed by your odd path. You learn two spells of a level you can cast from any classes. They are considered to be of your class (cleric, wizard, etc.) when you cast them, you always have them prepared, and they don't count against your maximum prepared or known. You can replace one of these spells with another when you level up. ### Eviscerator *Prerequisite: must be undead* Your foes fear your critical hits. Whenever you score a critical hit against a target with an attack, the target and all of its allies within 30 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + your proficieney bonus + the modifier you used to hit or be frightened of you for 1 minute. The target itself has disadvantage on this saving throw and all subsequent ones. They can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success. ### Ghost Scarred *Prerequisite: must have had maximum hit points or ability score reduced by an undead with the Incorporeal Movement trait* Your encounters with the spirits that haunt the world have given you unique capabilities to fight them, granting you the following benefits against undead with the Incorporeal Movement trait: - You have resistance to damage done by these undead. - You have advantage on saving throws against the effects of these undead. ### Lasting Life *Prerequisite: Constitution 13 or higher* Your lifeforce is unshakably strong, granting you the following benefits: - Increase your Constitution by 1, to a maximum of 20. - You can take an action to remove all reductions to one of your ability scores. - You can take an action to remove one effect reducing your hit point maximum. - You can take an action to turn all vile damage or frostburn damage you have suffered into normal damage, allowing it to be healed normally. \page
### Mother Cyst *Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell* You gain the ability to cast necrotic cyst spells by growing a cyst of your own. - Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20. - You grow an internal cyst of undead flesh called a mother cyst. The cyst may be noticeable as a discolored swelling on your skin, if desired. The mother cyst is slightly painful, but otherwise isn't harmful. The mother cyst grants you access to a selection of cyst-related spells listed below. You cast these spells like any other spell you can cast, once you host a mother cyst. You always have these spells prepared, and they don't count against your maximum spells prepared or known. | Level | Spells | |:----:|:-------------| | 1st | *necrotic awareness* | | 2nd | *necrotic cyst, necrotic scrying* | | 3rd | *necrotic bloat* | | 4th | *necrotic domination* | | 5th | *necrotic probe* | | 6th | *necrotic eruption* | | 7th | *necrotic tumor* | | 8th | *necrotic empowerment* | | 9th | *necrotic termination* | ### Oneiromancy *Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell* You specialize in dream magic, gaining the following benefits: - Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20. - You can interpret dreams, analyzing their meaning and what the dreamer was thinking and feeling. This requires an Intelligence check with a DC determined by the DM. You are proficienct in this check. At the DM's discretion, dreams may be used as prophetic warnings. - You gain access to a selection of dream-related spells listed below. You cast these spells like any other spell you can cast. You always have these spells prepared, and they don't count against your maximum spells prepared or known. | Level | Spells | |:----:|:-------------| | 1st | *restful slumber* | | 4th | *dream walk, manifest desire, manifest nightmare* | | 5th | *dream, dreaming puppet* | | 7th | *dream sight* | ### Necropotent You are very, very good at killing the undead, gaining the following benefits: - Increase your Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1. - You ignore the damage resistances (but not immunities) of the undead. - If you roll the highest die possible when damaging an undead creature, you can reroll that die and add the damage again. This process can recur as long as you continue to roll the maximum die. ### Tomb-Tainted Soul Your soul is imbued with some of the power of undeath, giving you the following benefits: - You have resistance to necrotic and poison damage - You have advantage on saves against the poisoned condition, and on saves against having your maximum HP reduced - Whenever you are subjected to an effect that harms the living but has no effect or a beneficial effect on the undead (such as *charnel touch*, *hold monster*, or *negative energy flood*), roll a d20. On a roll of 10 or higher, you count as undead for the purposes of that effect. ### Vampire Hunter Your knowledge of vampires has given you the following benefits: - You can take a bonus action to unfailingly determine whether any type of vampire is within 30 feet of you, as well as learn its type and location. - Whenever you damage a vampire, you can make the damage radiant damage. - You are immune to being charmed by vampires. \page
### Wormbound *Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell* You have bound your soul to Kyuss, granting you the following benefits: - Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20. - You can attempt to bind a Kyuss worm to yourself. Successfully hosting a Kyuss worm requires a special binding ritual. The ritual requires 4 hours of uninterrupted meditation, 50 gp in special materials, and a living Kyuss worm. At the end of the ceremony, you must succeed at a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or drop to 0 hit points. If you die as a result of this, you rise as a favored spawn of Kyuss in 10 minutes. - If you successfully complete the ritual, you gain access to a selection of worm-related spells listed below. You cast these spells like any other spell you can cast. You always have these spells prepared, and they don't count against your maximum spells prepared or known. | Level | Spells | |:----:|:-------------| | 1st | *grasping worms* | | 2nd | *path of worms, spirit worm* | | 3rd | *consume the parasite, the worm within* | | 4th | *mindworms* | | 5th | *parasitic soulworm* | | 6th | *servant of the green corruption* | | 7th | *extrude wormspawn* | | 8th | *breath of the herald* | | 9th | *herald of the Wormgod* | The worm can be removed by any magic that ends a disease or removes a curse, but only if the magic is used within the area of a *hallow* spell. You are entitled to a Constitution saving throw to negate the spell if you desire, even if it would not normally allow a saving throw. Use the caster's spell save DC. If you die with a living Kyuss worm inside you, you rise as a favored spawn of Kyuss in 10 minutes. As a spawn of Kyuss, you exist only to spread the corrupting power of Kyuss and have no free will of your own (meaning you become a monster under the DM's control). \page
## Multiclassing Multiclassing with a dread necromancer requires a 13 in Charisma. Multiclassing into dread necromancer gives you proficiency with light armor, simple weapons, and one martial weapon of your choice. \page
## New Spells ## Spell Lists
### Dread Necromancer ##### Cantrips (0 Level) - Backbiter † - Black Orb † - Blood Transfusion † - Bone Dance † - Charnel Touch † - Chill Touch - Dancing Lights - Disrupt Undead † - Friends - Minor Illusion - Prestidigitation - Reaving Aura † - Spare the Dying - Toll the Dead **XGTE** - Virulence † - Watchful Eye † ##### 1st Level - Bane - Bestow Wound † - Cause Fear **XGTE** - Call Undead (ritual) † - Claw of Mellifleur † - False Life - Find Undead Familiar † - Ghoul Touch † - Hex - Ice Knife **EE** - Identify Undead (ritual) † - Inflict Wounds - Ray of Sickness ##### 2nd Level - Animate Skeletal Butler (Ritual) † - Blindness/Deafness - Command Undead † - Consecrate/Desecrate - Darkness - Darkvision - Death Knell † - Disguise Undead † - Ease Pain † - Gentle Repose (ritual) - Halt Undead † - Hold Person - Phantasmal Force - Ray of Enfeeblement - Spectral Hand † - Shadow Blade **XGTE** - Shroud of Undeath † ##### 3rd Level - Animate Dead - Bestow Curse - Death Ward - Dispel Magic - Fear - Life Transference **XGTE** - Magic Circle - Revivify - Speak with Dead - Vampiric Touch ##### 4th Level - Blight - Create Karrnathi Undead † - Create Necropolitan (ritual) † - Evard's Black Tentacles - Giant Insect - Night's Mantle † - Phantasmal Killer - Sheltered Vitality † - Summon Undead Minions † ##### 5th Level - Contagion - Contact Ancient Spirits (ritual) † - Cloudkill - Danse Macabre **XGTE** - Enervation **XGTE** - Fire in the Blood † - Geas - Hallow - Insect Plague - Mass Inflict Wounds † - Negative Energy Flood **XGTE** - Planar Binding - Raise Dead ##### 6th Level - Circle of Death - Conjure Undead † - Create Undead - Eyebite - Harm - Magic Jar - Revive Undead † - Undeath to Death † ##### 7th Level - Etherealness - Finger of Death - Greater Harm † - Panacea † - Regenerate - Symbol - Waves of Exhaustion† ##### 8th Level - Abi Dalzim's Horrid Wilting **XGTE** - Demiplane - Devastate Undead † - Mass Death Ward † - Mass Sheltered Vitality † ##### 9th Level - Imprison Soul † - Mass Harm † - Plague of Undead † - Power Word Kill - Undead Creation † - Wail of the Banshee † - Weird ### Bard ##### Cantrips (0 Level) - Arcane Mark - Black Orb - Reaving Aura ##### 1st Level - Angry Ache - Dirge - Glimpse of Fear - Missteps - Rotted Warning (ritual) ##### 2nd Level - Curse of Impending Blades - Dance of Ruin - Phade's Fearsome Aspect - Reveille - Tvash-prull's Bonefiddle - Vertigo ##### 3rd Level - Bestow Eternal Curse - Vision of Fear ##### 4th Level - Aboleth Curse - Skull Eyes ##### 5th Level - Dreaming Pupppet - Ghost Storm ##### 6th Level - Wail of Doom ##### 7th Level - Control Undead ##### 8th Level - Wave of Pain ##### 9th Level - Familial Geas
I have used the following conventions: - Spells with **XGTE** are found in Xanathar's Guide to Everything. - Spells with an **EE** are found in the Elemental Evil Player's Companion. - Spells with an † are described below. All spells listed for classes beside the dread necromancer are new spells. \page
### Cleric ##### Cantrips (0 Level) - Black Orb - Bone Dance - Necrosurgery - Reaving Aura ##### 1st Level - Angry Ache - Blade of Pain and Fear - Bleeding Disease - Bless These Hands, Curse Those Claws - Deathwatch (ritual) - Detect Return (ritual) - Disanimate (ritual) - Frostburn - Ghoul Light - Grave Strike - Hemorrhage - Necrotic Awareness (ritual) - Painless Death (ritual) - Putrefy Food and Drink (ritual) - Renew the Tide of Unlife (ritual) - Slow Consumption - Spawn Screen (ritual) - Suspend Disease (ritual) - Styptic - Touch of Jorasco - Vigor ##### 2nd Level - Black Talon - Consecrate/Desecrate - Dance of Ruin - Death Knell - Ease Pain (ritual) - Execration - Ghoul Glyph - Holy Fire - Mark of the Outcast - Sticks and Stones ##### 3rd Level - Bestow Eternal Curse - Crown of the Grave - Clutch of Orcus - Irian's Light - Mabar's Darkness - Rain of Terror - Rejuvenative Corpse - Rigor Mortis - Soul Charge - Shivering Touch - Skull Watch - Spark of Life ##### 4th Level - Create Karrnathi Undead - Create Necropolitan (ritual) - Create Spirit Idol (ritual) - Delay Death - Infallible Servant (ritual) - Reconstitute Body - Sheltered Vitality - Wrack ##### 5th Level - Bleed - Charnel Fire (ritual) - Consumptive Field - Mass Inflict Wounds - Necrotic Skull Bomb - Oath of Blood - Sepulchral Gaze of Chronepsis - Touch of Vecna ##### 6th Level - Breath of Pestilence - Necroticizing Claw of Falazure - Revive Undead - Unfetter Undead ##### 7th Level - Barghest's Feast (ritual) - Create Crypt Thing - Evil Glare - Greater Harm - Necrotic Curse - Pact of Return - Panacea - Phoenix Fire - Ravage - Undeath after Death - Withering Palm ##### 8th Level - Death Pact - Detoxify - Eternal Repose - Mass Death Ward - Mass Sheltered Vitality - Renewal Pact - Return - Surelife ##### 9th Level - Anathema - Familial Geas - Forceful Resurrection - Hero's Blade - Imprison Soul - Plague of Undead ### Druid ##### Cantrips (0 Level) - Reaving Aura - Maggots - Scarecrow - Vermin ##### 1st Level - Ease of Breath (ritual) - Parching Touch - Putrefy Food and Drink (ritual) - Suspend Disease (ritual) - Touch of Jorasco - Vigor ##### 2nd Level - Blackrot - Bone Talisman - Dance of Ruin - Dessicate - Desiccating Bubble - Decomposition - Mark of the Outcast - Wracking Touch ##### 3rd Level - Aura of Cold - Black Sand - Control Temperature (ritual) - Infallible Servant (ritual) - Infestation of Maggots - Junglerazer - Plague Carrier - Possess Animal - Rain of Terror - Spark of Life ##### 4th Level - Boreal Wind - Miasma of Entropy - Sheltered Vitality - Wall of Bones ##### 5th Level - Bleed - Blood of Fire - Choking Sands - Oath of Blood ##### 6th Level - Blizzard - Breath of Pestilence - Curse of Lycanthropy - Possess ##### 7th Level - Blood to Water - Panacea - Withering Palm ##### 8th Level - Detoxify - Mass Sheltered Vitality - Plague - Sterilize Water ##### 9th Level - Anathema - Familial Geas - Hero's Blade ### Paladin ##### 1st Level - Grave Strike - Putrefy Food and Drink (ritual) - Sacrificial Smite ##### 2nd Level - Ease Pain (ritual) - Execration - Find Skeletal Steed - Mark of the Outcast - Holy Fire ##### 4th Level - Find Greater Skeletal Steed ##### 5th Level - Favor of the Martyr - Oath of Blood ### Ranger ##### 1st Level - Bloodletting Strike - Ease of Breath (ritual) - Shade's Sight ##### 2nd Level - Curse of Impending Blades ##### 4th Level - Cursed Blade ##### 5th Level - Shrieking Missile
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### Sorcerer ##### Cantrips (0 Level) - Arcane Mark - Backbiter - Black Orb - Disrupt Undead - Reaving Aura - Vermin ##### 1st Level - Angry Ache - Bestow Wound - Blade of Pain and Fear - Ghoul Touch - Glimpse of Fear - Hapless Soul - Parching Touch - Retch - Rime - Shield of Bones ##### 2nd Level - Ashstar - Bone Chill - Bonestaff - Curse of Impending Blades - Dance of Ruin - Death Armor - Dessicate - Desiccating Bubble - Halt Undead - Kelgore's Grave Mist - Life Bolt - Ray of Depletion - Spectral Hand - Sticks and Stones - Stolen Breath - Wracking Touch ##### 3rd Level - Armor of Undeath - Aura of Cold - Cloak of Blood - Control Temperature (ritual) - Flesh Ripper - Ghoul Gesture - Rain of Terror - Shivering Touch - Soul Charge ##### 4th Level - Abi Dalzim's Horrid Sickness - Aboleth Curse - Blood Lightning - Boreal Wind - Ebon Ray of Doom - Feast of Flesh - Icefane Corpse - Otiluke's Suppressing Field - Pain - Rebuking Breath - Shadow Curse - Shadow Leech - Shadow Mastery - Wall of Bones - Wrack ##### 5th Level - Beltyn's Burning Blood - Blood of Fire - Choking Sands - Cryptwarden's Grasp - Fire in the Blood - Gelid Blood - Ghoul Gauntlet - Grimwald's Graymantle - Kiss of the Vampire - Necrotic Skull Bomb - Nethergaze - Night's Caress - Sepulchral Gaze of Chronepsis - Shrieking Missile - Spirit Wall - Skull Eyes - Touch of Vecna - Undying Vigor of the Dragonlords ##### 6th Level - Arrow of Bone - Ashen Union - Aura of Terror - Blizzard - Breath of Pestilence - Corpsefire - Ectoplasmic Enhancement - Fleshshiver - Necrotic Mist - Necroticizing Claw of Falazure - Shadow Shield - Undeath to Death ##### 7th Level - Avasculate - Blood to Water - Cheat Death - Control Undead - Death Dragon - Evil Glare - Necrotic Curse - Power Leech - Retributive Enervation ##### 8th Level - Avascular Mass - Blackfire - Bodak's Glare - Darkstaff - Steal Life - Touch of the Graveborn ##### 9th Level - Demise Unseen - Dragon's Teeth - Horrible Army of the Dead - Wail of the Banshee ### Warlock ##### Cantrips (0 Level) - Arcane Mark - Backbiter - Black Orb - Blood Transfusion - Reaving Aura - Preserve Organ - Vermin - Watchful Eye ##### 1st Level - Bless These Hands, Curse Those Claws - Feast on Life - Ghost Light - Ghoul Touch - Glimpse of Fear - Hapless Soul - Slow Consumption ##### 2nd Level - Black Talon - Bonestaff - Dance of Ruin - Death Knell - Kelgore's Grave Mist - Phade's Fearsome Aspect - Possess Trapper - Sticks and Stones ##### 3rd Level - Boneblade - Boneblast - Clutch of Orcus - Curse Tablet - Dread Blast - Rain of Terror - Shivering Touch - Skull Watch ##### 4th Level - Aboleth Curse - Feast of Flesh - Manifest Desire - Manifest Nightmare - Shadow Leech - Shadow Mastery - Vecna's Malevolent Whisper - Wither Limb ##### 5th Level - Consumptive Field - Ghoul Gauntlet - Ghost Storm - Nethergaze - Night's Caress - Skull Eyes ##### 6th Level - Ashen Union - Aura of Terror - Corpsefire - Fleshshiver - Necrotic Mist - Necroticizing Claw of Falazure - Possess - Shadow Shield - Soul Scour - Thunguul's Preservation - Undeath to Death ##### 7th Level - Avasculate - Blood to Water - Cheat Death - Control Undead - Dream Sight - Evil Glare - Pact of Return - Power Leech - Raise Death Hulk - Retributive Enervation - Withering Palm ##### 8th Level - Avascular Mass - Blackfire - Bodak's Glare - Mantle of Pure Spite - Soul Link - Steal Life ##### 9th Level - Demise Unseen - Hide Life - Horrible Army of the Dead - Skyrift
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### Wizard ##### Cantrips (0 Level) - Arcane Mark - Backbiter - Black Orb - Bone Dance - Death Grimace - Disrupt Undead - Maggots - Necrosurgery - Preserve Organ - Reaving Aura - Vermin - Watchful Eye ##### 1st Level - Bestow Wound - Blade of Pain and Fear - Bloodletting Strike - Cloak of Dark Power - Commune with Shade (ritual) - Detect Return (ritual) - Disanimate (ritual) - Ghoul Light - Ghoul Touch - Glimpse of Fear - Hapless Soul - Identify Undead (ritual) - Necrotic Awareness (ritual) - Parching Touch - Renew the Tide of Unlife (ritual) - Retch - Restful Slumber (ritual) - Rotted Warning (ritual) - Shade's Sight - Shield of Bones - Slow Consumption - Suspend Disease (ritual) ##### 2nd Level - Animate Skeletal Butler (Ritual) - Ashstar - Bone Chill - Bonestaff - Curse of Impending Blades - Dance of Ruin - Death Armor - Dessicate - Desiccating Bubble - Disguise Undead - Exhume (ritual) - Ghoul Glyph - Halt Undead - Kelgore's Grave Mist - Life Bolt - Possess Trapper - Ray of Depletion - Shroud of Undeath - Spawn Screen (ritual) - Spectral Hand - Sticks and Stones - Stolen Breath - Wracking Touch ##### 3rd Level - Armor of Undeath - Bestow Eternal Curse - Boneblade - Cloak of Blood - Control Temperature (ritual) - Crown of the Grave - Curse Tablet - Feign Life (ritual) - Infallible Servant (ritual) - Invigoration of Undeath - Junglerazer - Rain of Terror - Rejuvenative Corpse - Shivering Touch - Skull Watch - Undead Conduit - Undead Lieutenant - Unliving Weapon - Vision of Fear ##### 4th Level - Abi Dalzim's Horrid Sickness - Animate Infectious Zombie - Bone Form - Create Karrnathi Undead - Create Necropolitan (Ritual) - Cursed Blade - Dream Walk - Ebon Ray of Doom - Feast of Flesh - Icefane Corpse - Manifest Desire - Manifest Nightmare - Night's Mantle - Otiluke's Suppressing Field - Pain - Rally of the Damned - Rebuking Breath - Shadow Curse - Shadow Leech - Shadow Mastery - Vecna's Malevolent Whisper - Wall of Bones - Wrack ##### 5th Level - Beltyn's Burning Blood - Blood of Fire - Choking Sands - Cryptwarden's Grasp - Door of Decay - Elemental Shroud - Gelid Blood - Ghost Storm - Ghoul Gauntlet - Grimwald's Graymantle - Kiss of the Vampire - Necrotic Skull Bomb - Nethergaze - Night's Caress - Oath of Blood - Sepulchral Gaze of Chronepsis - Shrieking Missile - Soul Shackles (ritual) - Spirit Wall - Skull Eyes - Touch of Vecna ##### 6th Level - Animate Dread Warrior - Arrow of Bone - Ashen Union - Aura of Terror - Blackwater Taint - Brainkill - Breath of Pestilence - Corpsefire - Ectoplasmic Enhancement - Fleshshiver - Kyristan's Malevolent Tentacles - Martyr's Death - Necrotic Mist - Necroticizing Claw of Falazure - Revive Undead - Shadow Shield - Soul Scour - Thunguul's Preservation - Undeath to Death - Unfetter Undead ##### 7th Level - Avasulate - Awaken Undead - Barghest's Feast (ritual) - Cheat Death - Control Undead - Create Crypt Thing - Evil Glare - Necrotic Curse - Power Leech - Raise Death Hulk - Retributive Enervation - Undeath after Death - Waves of Exhaustion ##### 8th Level - Avascular Mass - Blackfire - Bodak's Glare - Darkstaff - Devastate Undead - Eternal Repose - Heart of Stone - Steal Life - Sterilize Water - Touch of the Graveborn ##### 9th Level - Demise Unseen - Dragon's Teeth - Familial Geas - Hide Life - Horrible Army of the Dead - Plague of Undead - Raise City - Wail of the Banshee
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## Spell Descriptions Almost all of the spells listed below are learnable through a dread necromancer's Dark Secrets feature. Some cannot, and are instead included for another subclass, or simply fit with the overarching theme of dark magic. A few (such as Life Bolt and Sheltered Vitality) would be of immense interest to an undead-hunter. ### Cantrips #### Arcane Mark *Transmutation cantrip* ___ (Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Permanent This spell allows you to inscribe your personal rune or mark on an object not larger than one cubic foot. The writing can be visible or invisible. An *arcane mark* spell enables you to etch the rune upon any substance (even stone or metal) without harm to the material upon which it is placed. If an invisible mark is made, a *detect magic* spell causes it to glow and be visible. *See invisibility* and *true seeing* likewise allow the user to see an invisible *arcane mark*. The mark cannot be dispelled, but it can be removed by the caster. If an *arcane mark* is placed on a living being, normal wear gradually causes the effect to fade in about a month. No two casters can have the same *arcane mark*, though very similar ones are possible. After you decide on an appearance for your mark, you cannot change it without a *wish* spell. #### Backbiter *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a dagger) - **Duration:** 1 minute or until discharged *The weapon you indicate during the spell's casting briefly shimmers with a black aura that disappears in an eyeblink.* You cast this spell on any melee weapon within range. The next time that weapon is used to make a melee attack, its shaft or hilt twists around so that the weapon strikes the wielder instead, automatically hitting. If the weapon is being held or wielded, its holder must make a Wisdom saving throw, negating the spell on a success. This spell has no effect on natural weapons such as claws. The wielder gets no warning or knowledge of the spell’s effect on its weapon. #### Black Orb *Evocation cantrip* ___ (Bard, Cleric, Dread Necromancer, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a shard of obsidian) - **Duration:** 1 hour You touch one object that is no larger than 10 feet in any dimension. Until the spell ends, no nonmagical light can penetrate within 10 feet of the object. Although this is a spell, the darkness created in this way is considered nonmagical darkness. Completely covering the object with something opaque blocks the shadow. The spell ends if you cast it again or dismiss it as an action. Any magical light dispels *black orb*, and darkvision can see through it. If you target an object held or worn by a hostile creature, that creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw to avoid the spell. #### Blood Transfusion *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous You touch one willing, living creature and either transfer hit points to it or away from it. You can give up any number of your own hit points to the creature, or siphon away however many it is willing to give to yourself. Alternatively, you can act as a middleman between two willing, living creatures, transferring hit points between them as they wish. *Blood transfusion* cannot be used to transfer hit points to or from undead or constructs. #### Bone Dance *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** S, M (a crude puppet) - **Duration:** 1 minute You create a minor necromantic effect that lasts for the duration. The spell also ends if you dismiss it as an action or cast this spell again. You can create one of the following effects in one target corpse or pile of bones: - An intact corpse moans or a skeletal corpse’s teeth chatter. - A skeletal or fleshy arm or hand grabs something or someone (harmless, but disturbing). - An intact corpse or skeleton stands, and can move at a rate of 10 feet. - Your voice issues forth from a corpse (you cannot cast verbal spells while this option is in effect). - An intact corpse or skeleton sits up. - A head with eyes opens them. \page
#### Charnel Touch *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** S - **Duration:** Instantaneous Negative energy flows through your hands into a creature you touch. If the target is not undead, make a melee spell attack against it. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 necrotic damage. If the target is undead, it instead regains 1d10 hit points. This spell's damage and healing increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10). #### Death Grimace *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** S - **Duration:** Instantaneous You mark a corpse with a particular magical "signature", thus identifying yourself (truthfully or falsely) as the murderer. Some assassins use this signature as a sort of calling card, while others use it as a way to prove that they earned their pay. The signature can take many forms: a specific expression on the face of the corpse (hence the name of the spell), an actual rune, a word written on the corpse's flesh, a discoloration of one eye, and so on. #### Disrupt Undead *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 actoin - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous You direct a ray of gold-white energy at one creature with in range. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 radiant damage. If you hit an undead target, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be incapacitated until the end of its next turn. This spell’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8). #### Maggots *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Druid, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, M (a dead maggot) - **Duration:** 1 hour You create a swarm of maggots from any dead flesh—even cooked meat is subject to this spell. These maggots cause no damage but immediately begin to devour any dead matter they come in contact with. Most often used to strip bones for skeletons, to destroy remains so that they cannot be raised from the dead, or to terrify guests at the dinner table. The maggots disappear when the spell ends. The spell ends if you cast it again or dismiss it as an action. #### Necrosurgery *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a sharp razor or blade) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You touch one willing creature, killing off the infected cells already within and vaccinating the others. The creature takes 1 point of necrotic damage, but gains advantage on its next save against a disease, as long as that save is made within 24 hours. #### Preserve Organ *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a pinch of natron) - **Duration:** Permanent This spell is most commonly used by priests in cultures that revere the dead, mummifying their rulers and encasing them in grand sarcophagi. It preserves the organ touched from decaying while the spell lasts. #### Reaving Aura *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (10 foot radius) - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Instantaneous All creatures of your choice within range take 1 necrotic damage. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this spell dies. Many a rat has met its death in a wizard's tower to this spell. The spell’s radius increases by 10 feet when you reach 5th level (20 feet), 11th level (30 feet), and 17th level (40 feet). \page
#### Scarecrow *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You awaken the sense of mortality in one beast you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the spell ends. The frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. #### Sickening Grasp *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** S, M (a drop of ipecac syrup) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, you wreak havoc on its organs, dealing 1d6 poison damage, and it must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is poisoned for the duration. It can make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. The spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6). #### Vermin *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 150 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You call roaches, flies, spiders, centipedes, or other vermin to you. They deal no damage and are not under your control, but they may startle animals, ruin food, and drive humanoids out of the area in disgust. #### Virulence *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a bit of flesh from someone who died from poison or disease) - **Duration:** 1 minute or until discharged You weaken one creature's immune system. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes disadvantage on its next save against a poison or disease made while the spell lasts. After this save is made, or if you cast the spell again, the spell ends. #### Watchful Eye *Necromancy cantrip* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a preserved eyeball) - **Duration:** 1 hour You enchant an eyeball to watch over all it sees and magically remember what passes before it. The eyeball cannot move, cannot see anything beyond 30 feet, and the eye does not gain darkvision or other special sight unless further enchanted (eyes from creatures with such vision retain that when cast—a balor's eye, for instance, still has truesight). You can pick up the eye at any point during the spell's duration, in which case the spell ends and you see all that the eye has seen if it is still intact. If the eye has been shuttered or destroyed, you see nothing. If the eye has been magically blinded, you must make a saving throw against the spell as if you had been its intended target. The eye does not continue to record information past 1 hour, though it can be picked up at any point thereafter. This spell is an exception to the usual ruling that allows a component pouch or spellcasting focus to replace the material component. You must have an actual, preserved eye to cast this spell, though it can be from any creature. ### 1st Level #### Angry Ache *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Bard, Cleric, Sorcerer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 10 minutes One creature within range must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, its muscles are strained in a very specific way. Choose melee weapon attacks, ranged weapons attacks, or spell attacks. It has disadvantage on the chosen attack type for the duration. An affected creature can repeat the Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. Creatures with no discernible anatomy, or those that do not feel pain, are immune to this spell. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st, including the same creature if you choose a different attack type (so if you cast as a 3rd level spell, you could target melee weapon attacks, ranged weapon attacks and spell attacks at once). \page
#### Bestow Wound *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a small eye agate worth at least 10 gp) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You transfer your wounds to another creature. Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, the target takes 2d12 necrotic damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, it automatically stablizes them. You regain HP equal to the damage dealt. Consequently, this spell cannot deal damage over the amount of hp that you are missing (you can't transfer wounds you don't have). Resistance to necrotic also reduces the heal, since it reduces the damage done. For example, if you roll 9 but only have 5 hit points missing, the target only takes 5 necrotic damage. If the creature only had 4 hit points remaining, it only takes 4 necrotic damage, and you are only healed by 4. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d12 for each slot level above 1st. #### Blade of Pain and Fear *1st-level evocation* ___ (Cleric, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute A three-foot-long column of disembodied gnashing teeth springs forth from your hand, screaming and chanting with unholy vigor. It counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are proficient. It deals 1d8 psychic damage on a hit and has the finesse and light properties. When you hit a creature with this blade, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a 3rd- or 4th-level spell slot, the damage increases to 2d8. When you cast it using a 5th- or 6th-level spell slot, the damage increases to 3d8. When you cast it using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the damage increases to 4d8. #### Bleeding Disease *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M - **Duration:** Varies (see text) Generally cast only by evil priests of the gods of pestilence, *bleeding disease* afflicts a random creature within range who has not prayed at a shrine or temple dedicated to your god in over a week. If there are no such targets within range, the spell fails. The chosen creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it suffers bloodskin (see the sidebar), which lasts for 24 hours or until the creature prays at a shrine or temple to your god or receives magic that cures diseases. Whether or not the chosen creature succeeded on its save, the next time the chosen creature touches another creature that does not worship your god, that creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a success, the new creature does not gain the disease, and the spell ends. On a failure, it gains the disease, and it will likewise carry the disease. If you do not worship a god, instead choose a group, ideal, or belief you value. This spell afflicts those in opposition to your choice, and they can remove it by speaking in favor of the group you choose. > ##### Bloodskin > > This sickness causes its victims to lightly bleed from many small sores. The overall loss of blood is minimal but sufficiently spread out so as to create the appearance that a victim is bleeding from every pore in its skin. > > This sickness deals 1 point of piercing damage 12 hours in and every 24 hours following. #### Bless These Hands, Curse Those Claws *1st-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Cleric, Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, M (a scalpel) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes You target one creature within range, sapping its healing talent to bolster your own. For the duration, your target cannot add their proficiency bonus to medicine checks, and you gain a bonus to your medicine checks equal to their proficiency bonus. This spell has no effect if the creature lacks any proficiency in Wisdom. \page
#### Bloodletting Strike *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Ranger, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute The next time you hit a creature with a weapon attack during the spell’s duration, your weapon seeks the creatures's vitals, and the attack deals an extra 1d4 necrotic damage to the target and causes the target to bleed. At the start of each of its turns until the spell ends, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 1d4 necrotic damage. On a successful save, the spell ends. If the target receives magical healing, or if it or a creature within 5 feet of it uses an action to make a successful Wisdom (Medicine) check against your spell save DC, the spell ends. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the initial extra damage dealt by the attack increases by 1d4 for each slot level above 1st. #### Call Undead *1st-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 hour - **Range:** 1 mile - **Components:** V, S, M (a funerary bell) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 8 hours You create an invisible magical beacon that attracts undead like months to a flame. Once the ritual is properly performed, all zombies and skeletons within range must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they feel drawn to the site where you cast the spell. On a success, they are still aware of the beacon, and may choose to investigate or not. Once the undead arrive, they remain in the area for the remainder of the spell's duration. There is no guarantee that the undead are friendly, but you may attempt to awe, control, or persuade the undead through normal means. Uncontrolled mindless undead attack you, returning to their lairs if they succeed in killing you. Sentient undead may or may not attack you, but they are likely to be displeased at being summoned (starting relation unfriendly or hostile). If you leave the site, the undead go first to the site and then follow after you for the remainder of the spell duration, unerringly sensing your current location. Should any undead fail to reach you before the spell ends, each returns to its own lair. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a 3rd level slot, all undead of CR 1 or less are affected by the summoning, and the range increases to 5 miles. When cast with a 5th level slot, all undead of CR 3 or less are affected by the summoning, and the range increases to 10 miles. With a 7th level slot, all undead of CR 8 or less answer the call, and the range increases to 15 miles. When cast with a 9th level slot, all undead of CR 20 or less are called, and the range increases to 20 miles. #### Claw of Mellifleur (Velsharoon) *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a fingernail) - **Duration:** Instantaneous This spell creates an undead servant. You must have the disembodied hand of a Medium or Small humanoid within range. Your spell imbues the target with a foul mimicry of life, raising it as an undead creature. The target becomes a crawling claw (the DM has the creature’s game statistics). On each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 60 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete. The claw is under your control for 24 hours, after which it stops obeying any command you’ve given it. To maintain control of the creature for another 24 hours, you must cast this spell on the creature again before the current 24-hour period ends. This use of the spell reasserts your control over up to four creatures you have animated with this spell, rather than animating a new one. #### Cloak of Dark Power *1st-level abjuration* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 1 minute One willing creature you touch gains a crackling shield of darkness that protects it from all effects of sunlight. If cast on a vampire or other creature that is normally harmed or destroyed by exposure to sunlight, the spell allows that creature to function in sunlight without hindrance. The spell does not overcome any aversion the target creature may have for sunlight, however. *Cloak of dark power* is not countered or dispelled by any light spell of equal or lower level (such as the cantrip *light*). It can be dispelled by a light spell of greater level (such as the 3rd-level spell *daylight*, which dispels *cloak of dark power*). \page
#### Commune with Shade *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Special - **Components:** V, S, M (a wineskin full of fresh blood) - **Duration:** See text You attempt to contact the spirit of a specific dead entity by name. The spell contacts the spirit and lets it know that you want to meet; it doesn’t compel the spirit to appear before you. This spell is most useful in the plane of the dead or another realm where finding one shade among countless hosts of the dead can be nigh impossible. The spell conveys your call to the shade you desire, along with your location and a sense of urgency. The shade is under no obligation to respond, but most do simply to break the eternal tedium of death. If the shade chooses to answer your call in the Underworld, it arrives within ten minutes. If you are somewhere else, the shade arrives within 24 hours. If cast within the plane of the dead, the spell can pull a spirit from any distance. If cast from the material world or any other plane, the site of the spirit’s death must be on the same plane and within 1 mile of your. Note that the range refers to the site of the creature’s death, not its current location. This spell can also be used to contact an intelligent undead creature within range; for example, it could contact the spirit of a drowned sailor if cast within a mile of the site of the drowning. Note that this spell does not alter the subject’s personality or willingness to help you. Once the target spirit arrives, you must persuade it to help through negotiation, payment, or coercion of some sort. Family members, loved ones, friends, and slain companions are more inclined to help than are strangers or someone who was killed by the caster. Another spell, such as *speak with dead*, might be needed to compel answers from an uncooperative or unresponsive shade. #### Deathwatch *1st-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (30-foot cone) - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour You instantly know whether each creature within the area is dead, fragile (alive and wounded, with 5 or fewer hit points left), fighting off death (alive with 6 or more hit points), undead, or neither alive nor dead (such as a construct). #### Detect Return *1st-level divination (ritual)* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour For the duration, you know if any creature within 30 feet of you has ever been brought back from death by any means (e.g., *pact of return, raise dead, reincarnate, resurrection, wish,* etc.), as well as where the creature is located. You also identify how many times they have been brought back from the dead, and through what methods each time. The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt. #### Dirge *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Bard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a shard of obsidian) - **Duration:** 1 minute or until you stop singing or playing music You imbue your music with negative energy, allowing it to influence the undead. As long as you can continue to play an instrument or sing, all undead lose their immunity to being charmed against your spells. Their type continues to be undead (so they cannot be affected by *charm person*), and they keep their immunity against charms against all other creatures–only you can penetrate it. However, this spell does allow the *command* spell to target undead. For example, this spell allows a wraith to be affected by *charm monster* or *suggestion*. It makes its save as normal. #### Disanimate *1st-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous You release any number of undead under your control within range from unlife, effectively putting them into suspended animation. You can reanimate them with *animate dead* or similar magic. Many necromancers use this spell on their minions prior to heading into town, so they don't have to dig up new corpses when they leave. #### Ease of Breath *1st-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Druid, Ranger) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (an empty vial) - **Duration:** 24 hours One creature you touch gains immunity to the adverse effects of high altitude (*Dungeon Master's Guide* p.110) up to a height of 30,000 feet. This spell provides no benefit for a creature going above 30,000 feet. \page
#### Feast on Life *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 reaction, which you take in response to being damaged by a melee attack - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous *As your foe strikes you with her blade, you charge your body with negative energy, healing your new wound at the expense of her health.* The creature that damaged you is momentarily surrounded by a black aura. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. It takes 1d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. You regain hit points equal to the damage done. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st. #### Find Undead Familiar *1st-level conjuration* ___ (Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 hour - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (10gp worth of charcoal, incense, and herbs that must be consumed by fire in a brass brazier) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You gain the service of a familiar, a spirit that takes an animal form you choose: bat, cat, crab, frog (toad), hawk, lizard, octopus, owl, poisonous snake, fish (quipper), rat, raven, sea horse, spider, or weasel. Appearing in an unoccupied space within range, the familiar has the statistics of the chosen form, though it is an undead instead of a beast. The familiar is immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition. Your familiar acts independently of you, but it always obeys your commands. In combat, it rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn. A familiar can’t attack, but it can take other actions as normal. When the familiar drops to 0 hit points, it disappears, leaving behind no physical form. It reappears after you cast this spell again. While your familiar is within 100 feet of you, you can communicate with it telepathically. Additionally, as an action, you can see through your familiar’s eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of any special senses that the familiar has. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses. As an action, you can temporarily dismiss your familiar. It disappears into a pocket dimension where it awaits your summons. Alternatively, you can dismiss it forever. As an action while it is temporarily dismissed, you can cause it to reappear in any unoccupied space within 30 feet of you. You can’t have more than one familiar at a time. If you cast this spell while you already have a familiar, you instead cause it to adopt a new form. Choose one of the forms from the above list. Your familiar transforms into the chosen creature. Finally, when you cast a spell with a range of touch, your familiar can deliver the spell as if it had cast the spell. Your familiar must be within 100 feet of you, and it must use its reaction to deliver the spell when you cast it. If the spell requires an attack roll, you use your action modifier for the roll. #### Frostburn *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a snowflake) - **Duration:** Instantaneous When laying your hand upon a creature, you channel cold energy. Make a melee spell attack. On a hit, the spell deals 2d12 points of frostburn damage. Alternatively, you touch one willing creature immune to cold. The creature regains 2d12 hit points. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage and the heal increase by 1d12 for each slot level above 1st. #### Ghost Light *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a bit of phosphorous) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You create a ghostly green radiance anywhere within range that shines with the brightness of a torch and is imbued with unearthly power. When you cast this spell, you force creatures within 20 feet of the light to make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the start of your next turn. As an action while the spell lasts, you can move the light up to 30 feet and force all creatures within 20 feet of it to make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the start of your next turn. The light can be shaped to any Medium or smaller form. When you move it, you can make it appear to walk or fly. The shape of a *ghost light* can be changed at any time during the spell's duration (no action required). \page
#### Ghoul Light *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a bit of rendered fat) - **Duration:** 1 hour *A sickly green flame springs forth from an object that you touch.* The effect looks like a regular flame, equivalent in brightness to a torch, except for its green hue, but it creates no heat and doesn't use oxygen. *Ghoul light* can be covered and hidden, but not smothered or quenched. To the undead, a *ghoul light* shines bright light for 60 feet and dim light for an additional 60 feet. *Darkness* can dispel *ghoul light*. #### Ghoul Touch *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a small scrap of cloth taken from clothing worn by a ghoul, or a pinch of earth from a ghoul’s lair) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Make a melee spell attack against a humanoid within your reach. On a hit, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for the duration. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Constitution saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target. Elves are immune to this spell. Additionally, the paralyzed subject exudes a carrion stench. Any living creature other than you that starts its turn within 5 feet of the subject must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a slot of 4th level or higher, the spell can affect creatures of any type, and works on elves. This version is sometimes called *ghast touch.* #### Glimpse of Fear *1st-level illusion* ___ (Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous You momentarily plunge the subject directly into a waking nightmare, immersing it in a world of fear for a brief instant. The change happens so fast that many creatures do not consciously sense it at all, but a failed Wisdom save means the sudden shift in perception registers long enough to render the subject more susceptible to being frightened. The creature has disadvantage on saving throws against being frightened for the next minute, or until it saves successfully against being frightened. Sightless creatures and creatures with truesight are not affected by this spell. #### Grave Strike *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Paladin) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute *Golden motes of light dance before your eyes. They converge on undead you look at, hovering about them and forming wedges of positive energy.* Until the spell ends, whenever you hit an undead with a weapon attack, you can choose for the attack to do radiant damage instead of its normal damage type. \page
#### Hapless Soul *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a two-headed coin) - **Duration:** 1 minute One creature within range must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, its luck ebbs, causing a natural 2 to be treated as a natural 1 for the duration. If a natural 1 would automatically fail, the natural 2 does. This does not actually make the roll a 1, and if a natural 1 would not fail, it has no effect. #### Hemorrhage *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a small scalpel) - **Duration:** 1 minute Your touch inflicts a deep, painful wound that bleeds profusely and refuses to heal. Make a melee spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 piercing damage at the start of each of its turns from bleeding until the spell's duration expires. Neither mundane nor magical healing stops the bleeding. A *styptic* or *heal* spell does stop the bleeding. Creatures without blood are immune to this spell. #### Identify Undead *1st-level divination (ritual)* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (60-foot cone) - **Components:** V, S, M (a fingerbone) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You immediately learn the type (such as zombie, ghoul, vampire, or blood hulk) of all undead within range. Undead with a CR above your level are immune to this spell. #### Missteps *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Bard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You bestow a minor curse of clumsiness on one creature within range. That creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, its speed is reduced by 10 and it has disadvantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks for the duration of the spell. #### Painless Death *1st-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (an hourglass) - **Duration:** Instantaneous One willing creature you touch dies painlessly and instantly. #### Parching Touch *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous Make a melee spell attack against one creature. On a hit, it takes 2d8 dessication damage and it is considered to not have drunk any water today, regardless of how much it has drunk. It must drink twice its normally daily amount the rest of the day to avoid exhaustion due to dehydration (see the Player's Handbook). This spell also moves one gallon of water into your body, covering your daily needs. This spell does 4d8 necrotic damage against elementals composed mostly of water and plants. #### Putrefy Food and Drink *1st-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Cleric, Druid, Paladin) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous All nonmagical food and drink within a 5-foot radius sphere centered on a point of your choice within range is putrefied. Any creature that eats or drinks this putrid food must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or be poisoned for 1 hour. \page
#### Renew the Tide of Unlife *1st-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a fingerbone) - **Duration:** Instantaneous *As he moved down the hall where the battle took place, Gorath the Cursed touched each fallen undead and, in turn, each stood up as if the wounds of their latest downfall had never been landed.* Normally, destroyed undead cannot be animated again. This spell makes the touched destroyed undead able to be animated once more. #### Restful Slumber *1st-level enchantment (ritual)* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 8 hours You allow a willing creature you touch to gain a full night's sleep, uninterrupted by nightmares. If you attempt to cancel the nightmares imposed by an outside source, such as a curse or another spellcaster, you must make a spellcasting ability check against a DC of the nightmare source's spellcasting DC. #### Retch *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** S, M (rotted flesh) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 round You pulp a piece of necrotic flesh between your teeth and spit the juices. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is poisoned until the start of your next turn, and incapacitated while poisoned in this way. #### Rime *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a pinch of dirt from a grave dug during the winter months) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute One creature within range must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, you infuse the target's body with the unwholesome chill of the grave. This chill dulls the creature's reactions and weakens its stamina. Creatures immune to cold damage are immune to this spell. An affected target’s speed is halved, it takes a -2 penalty to Constitution saving throws, and it can’t use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. \page
#### Rotted Warning *1st-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Bard, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a copper coin and a few drops of ink) - **Duration:** Until dispelled You implant a message within a corpse you touch, a message that is uttered when a trigger condition is met. You whisper the message to the corpse, which must be 25 words or less, though it can be delivered over as long as ten minutes. Finally, determine the circumstance that will trigger the spell to deliver your message. When that circumstance occurs, the corpse speaks in its own voice, so the more degraded the body, the less intelligible the message will be when spoken. When you cast this spell, you can have the spell end after it delivers its message or it can remain and repeat its message whenever the trigger occurs. The triggering circumstance can be as general or as detailed as you like, though it must be based on visual or audible conditions that occur within 30 feet of the object. For example, you could instruct the mouth to speak when any creature moves within 30 feet of the object or when a silver bell rings within 30 feet. #### Sacrificial Smite *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Paladin) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You can sacrifice life force to increase the damage you deal. When you cast the spell, you can sacrifice up to 12 of your hit points. For every 3 hp you sacrifice, on your next successful attack you deal + 1d6 radiant or necrotic damage (your choice), to a maximum of + 4d6 on that attack. Your ability to deal this extra damage ends when you successfully attack or when the spell duration ends. ***At Higher Levels.*** For each slot above 1st level, the maximum HP sacrificed increases by 6, and the maximum damage gained increases by 2d6. #### Shade's Sight *1st-level divination* ___ (Ranger, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** S, M (carrot juice dripped on the tongue) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour One willing creature you touch gains the ability to see from shadows. The creature can peer into any shadow it can see within 30 feet, and then see out of that shadow as if it were there. #### Shield of Bones *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 reaction, which you take when you take damage - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a chicken bone) - **Duration:** 1 round *Imbuing the bone with a bit of your life force, a shield of bones encases you.* You can expend any amount of hit points, up to your current value. You lose these hit points, and gain twice the amount expended as temporary hit points. These temporary hit points lasts until the start of your next turn. #### Slow Consumption *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 hour - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a burnt match) - **Duration:** Permanent You feed upon the life force of another. One creature you touch must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, you can subsist on its life force. As long as the spell lasts, if you can touch the creature once a day, you do not need to eat or drink. Touching the subject in this way reduces its Con score by 1. This reduction lasts until cured by *greater restoration*. If you do not touch the subject within 24 hours of the last time you touched them, the spell ends. \page
#### Styptic *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** S, M (a specially carved stick with a wax tip) - **Duration:** Instantaneous A creature you touch regains a number of hit points equal to 1d4 + your spellcasting ability modifier. This heal has no effect on undead or constructs. Additionally, the target of this spell immediately stops bleeding from any wounds it has suffered from slashing or piercing weapons or *wounding* effects, or a *hemorrhage* spell. #### Suspend Disease *1st-level abjuration (ritual)* ___ (Cleric, Druid, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a drop of bile) - **Duration:** 24 hours You touch a willing creature. This spell keeps a disease already infecting the subject from affecting it for the duration of the spell. The disease is in no way cured, and the subject does not make a new save while the spell lasts. This spell can also be used on unwilling targets, in which case the spell requires a melee spell attack to hit, and allows a Constitution save, with no effect on a success. The primary use of this version of the spell is to weaken cancer mages. #### Touch of Jorasco *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Self and touch; see text - **Components:** V, S, M (a bandage) - **Duration:** 8 hours This spell imbues you with an ability to heal minor wounds that lasts throughout the day. When you cast this spell, you store healing energy within your own form. Roll 1d6 and add your spellcasting ability modifier; this is the amount of healing you store within your body. While the spell lasts, you can touch a creature as an action and draw from this pool, restoring hit points equal to the amount deducted from your pool. You may choose to divide this healing among multiple recipients, and you don't have to use it all at once. The effects of multiple *touch of Jorasco* spells do not stack, meaning that you can only store healing energy from one such spell at a time. If you cast the spell again before discharging all of the healing from a previous casting, the new total simply replaces the earlier one, effectively ending the previous spell. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st. #### Vigor *1st-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 1 minute *The sounds of battle ring in your ears as you lay hands on your fallen comrade. You can spare neither time nor magic to do more right now, but the blood flow slows to a trickle and her breathing becomes less labored, even as you are called to the aid of another.* A creature you touch regains 1 hit point at the start of each of its turns if it has at least 1 hit point remaining. It also becomes proficient in death saving throws while under this spell. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a 3rd- or 4th-level spell slot, the healing per turn increases to 2. When you cast it using a 5th- or 6th-level spell slot, the healing per turn increases to 4. When you cast it using a 7th- or 8th-level spell slot, the healing per turn increases to 8. When you cast it using a 9th-level spell slot, the healing per turn increases to 16. \page
### 2nd Level #### Animate Skeletal Butler *2nd-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a pinch of bone dust) - **Duration:** Instantaneous Choose a pile of bones of a Medium or Small humanoid within range. Your spell imbues the target with a foul mimicry of life, raising it as an undead skeleton (the DM has the creature's statistics). Your skeleton cannot deal damage, use the Help action, or contribute in any other way during combat. It could, however, assist in erecting barriers or placing caltrops in advance. You can never have more than one skeleton made by this spell at a time, but the skeleton serves loyally until destroyed. #### Ashstar *2nd-level conjuration* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a pinch of ash) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You create a magical construct called an ashstar. It shoots from your hand and hovers in the air anywhere within the limit of the range. The ashstar gives off a reddish light, akin to the hazy light within a sandstorm, providing dim light in a 20-foot radius. At the end of each of your turns, choose any number of creatures within 10 feet of the ashstar. All creatures you choose must make Constitution saving throws. On a failure, all damage they take until the end of your next turn is instead dessication damage. As a bonus action, you can move the ashstar to any point within range. An ashstar can be attacked as if it were an object. It has AC 17, 20 hit points, immunity to necrotic, fire, poison, and psychic damage, and a damage threshold of 10. *Special:* A dread necromancer can learn this spell through the dark secrets class feature, even though it is not a necromancy spell. >*“What lies at the end of a life well lived? Eons of cold servitude, your flesh but a memory, your every tortured thought focused on one thing only: to feed on the living.”* > > —Academician Drake, of the Bleak Academy > >*“. . . uhhhnnsss . . .”* > > —Nameless zombie #### Black Talon *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a zombified falcon's claw) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute One of your arms transforms into a retractable, rubbery appendage ending in a taloned claw. For the duration, your reach increases by 5 feet on your turn. For most humanoid casters, that brings your reach to 10 feet. This effect does not apply when it is not your turn. Until the spell ends, you can make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach as an action. On a hit, the target takes 2d6 necrotic damage. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 2nd. #### Blackrot *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a mushroom cap) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute The plant-matter creaks and writhes beneath your hand as you generate a malignant rot at its center. This spell allows you to deliver a single touch that either damages a plant creature over a number of rounds or renders a wooden weapon poisonous. When used against a plant creature, you make a melee spell attack. On a hit, the spell deals 2d8 necrotic damage. Until the spell ends, you can use a bonus action on each of your subsequent turns to cause this damage again. Alternatively, you can touch a weapon with a wooden striking surface (such as a club or quarterstaff). Any creature damaged by the weapon is poisoned until the end of its next turn unless it succeeds on a Constitution save. #### Bone Chill *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (small piece of bone and a 1-inch cube of ice) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Make a ranged spell attack against a corporeal undead within range. On a hit, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be covered in a layer of ice, paralyzed for the duration. At the start of each of its turns, the target can make another Constitution saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target. This spell has no effect on undead with the Incorporeal Movement trait, or on creatures that are not undead. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a slot of 3rd level or higher, you create one additional beam for each level above 2nd. You must target each beam at a different creature. \page
#### Bone Talisman *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a beast or humanoid bone) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour or until discharged You channel divine power and life energy into a bone from an animal or humanoid, giving it limited power against undead. Once cast, it may be used for two purposes (decided at the time of casting). **Bone of Turning:** You or another druid may present the bone in the manner of a holy symbol and use it to turn undead, as if you were a cleric. You never destroy undead. After one turn attempt, the bone talisman loses its power (but you can cast the spell on it again). **Bone Weapon:** The bone is treated as a magic weapon that deals +1d6 radiant damage to undead creatures. The bone is treated as a simple weapon appropriate to its shape, such as dagger or dart (small and sharp), club (if large and blunt), or longspear (if small and sharp and fastened to a long haft) and deals normal damage for its type. The spell does not grant proficiency in the weapon. The spell is not discharged when the weapon hits and this aspect of the spell lasts until the full duration (1 hour) expires. The spell has no effect if you cast it on a bone taken from an undead creature. The bone must be at least 8 inches long and may be straight or curved; normally bones from the arm, leg, or ribs are used. You may carve, drill, or otherwise shape the bone before or after the spell is cast; the spell functions as long as the bone remains bone (not turned to wood or metal, for example). #### Bonestaff *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a fingerbone) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You call up a staff of bone in your hand. This magic staff lasts until the spell ends. It counts as a quarterstaff. It deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage on a hit and has the versatile (2d8) property. It scores a critical hit on a roll or 19 or 20. You can give the staff to a friend to wield if you so wish. If the holder scores a critical hit against an undead with this staff, the undead must make a Constitution saving throw or be unable to attack the holder until the end of the holder's next turn. #### Close Wounds *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 reaction, which you take when you see a creature within 30 feet of you take damage - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous *Your ally falls from a crushing blow, but you don't have time to reach him. You quickly speak words of power, and the worst of his injuries glow golden and begin to heal.* A creature of your choice that you can see within range regains hit points equal to 1d4 + your spellcasting ability modifier. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs. At your option, you can choose to have this spell effectively prevent the damage. Thus, if a creature receives enough damage to kill it outright, this spell can save that creature if the healing subtracts the damage low enough to prevent death from massive damage. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d4 for each slot level above 2nd. \page
#### Command Undead *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a shred of raw meat and a splinter of bone) - **Duration:** 24 hours One undead creature you target within range must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, you gain some degree of control over it. Assuming the subject is intelligent (intelligence of 7 or higher), it perceives your words and actions in the most favorable way (treat its attitude as friendly). It will not attack you while the spell lasts. You can try to give the subject orders, but you must win a Charisma (Persuasion) check opposed by its Wisdom (Insight) check to convince it to do anything it wouldn't ordinarily do. (Retries are not allowed). An intelligent commanded undead never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders, but it might be convinced that something very dangerous is worth doing. An undead creature with an intelligence of 6 or less (such as a zombie) has disadvantage on the save, while one with an intelligence of 12 or more has advantage on it. When you control an unintelligent being, you can communicate only basic commands, such as "come here", "go there", "fight", "stand still", and so on. Nonintelligent undead won't resist suicidal or obviously harmful orders. Any act by you or your apparent allies that threatens the commanded undead (regardless of its intelligence) breaks the spell. Your commands are not telepathic. The undead creature must be able to hear you. An intelligent undead remembers it was controlled. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 2nd. The creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them. #### Consecrate/Desecrate *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a vial of holy or unholy water: holy for consecrate, unholy for desecrate) - **Duration:** 24 hours You touch a point and infuse an area around it with positive or negative energy. The area can have a radius up to 20 feet. Choose which you want to imbue: ***Consecrate.*** The area is charged with positive energy, becoming consecrated ground. All undead standing upon consecrated ground have disadvantage on all saves. All deathless standing upon consecrated ground have advantage on all saves. ***Desecrate.*** The area is charged with negative energy, becoming desecrated ground. All undead standing upon consecrated ground have advantage on all saves. All deathless standing upon consecrated ground have disadvantage on all saves. You can create a permanently consecrated or desecrated region by casting this spell there every day for 1 year. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the radius increases by 10 feet for each slot level above 2nd. #### Curse of Impending Blades *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Bard, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a nail through a piece of leather) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes *You grip the nail-pierced hunk of leather and cast the spell. A small black dagger jets from the tip of the nail and strikes your opponent squarely in the chest.* One target within range must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it has a hard time avoiding attacks, sometimes even seeming to stumble into harm's way. It takes a -3 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws for the duration. The curse cannot be dispelled, but it can be removed with a *remove curse* spell or similar magic. #### Dance of Ruin *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Bard, Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** Special - **Range:** Self (30 foot radius) - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous To cast this spell, you dance wildly and chant. After you finish your dance, a wave of crackling energy flashes outward up to the extent of the range. All non-demons within range (including you, unless you are a demon) take necrotic damage based on how long you cast this spell, or half with a successful Dexterity saving throw. - If you cast this spell as an action, it deals 1d20 damage. - If you take 2 actions to cast this spell, it deals 2d20 damage. - If you take 3 actions to cast this spell, it deals 4d20 damage. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d20 for each two slot levels above 2nd. \page
#### Death Armor *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a paste made of ground bone, which you apply to your body) - **Duration:** 1 minute You are surrounded with a crackling black aura that injures creatures that contact it. If a creature hits you with a melee attack while this spell is in effect, it immediately takes 1d4 necrotic damage. While this spell is in effect, beasts with a CR of 1/4 or lower are frightened of you. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d4 for each slot level above 2nd. #### Death Knell *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer, Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous You draw forth the ebbing life force of a creature and use it to fuel your own power. You touch one creature at 0 hit points and force it to make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails this saving throw, it dies, and you gain 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier temporary hit points that last for 1 hour. If a creature dies due to this spell, you regain the slot you used to cast it. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you gain 1d8 additional temporary hit points for each slot level above 2nd. #### Decomposition *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (60-foot radius) - **Components:** V, S, M (a mushroom cap) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute *Using your link to the natural world, you create an air of decay that makes death come quicker to the wounded.* Whenever an enemy within the area takes bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, that wound festers for an additional 1d8 points of necrotic damage at the beginning of its turn each round thereafter for the duration of the spell. A Medicine check against your spell save DC or the application of any healing magic stops the festering. Only one wound festers at a time; additional wounds are not subject to this effect. Once festering has been stopped, however, any new wound taken while the subject is within the area (before the spell expires) begins the process anew. For example, a subject who takes 6 points of damage while within the area of a *decomposition* spell takes 1d8 points of damage from the festering wound in the next round, and another 1d8 points in the round after that. In the following round, that subject receives 7 points of healing from a *cure wounds* spell, so the festering stops and the subject takes no festering damage that round. In the next round, the subject remains within the emanation and takes another 3 points of damage in battle. The festering begins again, dealing 1d8 points of damage in the following round. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast as a 4th or 5th level spell, the necrotic damage increases to 2d8. When cast as a 6th or 7th, it increases to 3d8. When cast as an 8th or 9th, it increases to 4d8. \page
#### Dessicate *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a pinch of dust) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You evaporate moisture from the body of a living creature, which much make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 3d10 dessication damage and gains one level of exhaustion, unless it already has one or more levels of exhaustion. On a success it takes half damage and gains no exhaustion. This spell deals 4d10 damage against elementals composed mostly of water and plants. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each level above 2nd. #### Desiccating Bubble *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a tiny bag or bladder filled with air, and a sprinkle of dust) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute A 3-foot-diameter bubble of supernaturally dry air appears in an unoccupied space of your choice within range and lasts for the duration. Any creature that ends its turn within 5 feet of the sphere must make a Dexterity saving throw. The creature takes 2d4 dessication damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This spell deals 3d4 damage against elementals composed mostly of water and plants. As a bonus action, you can move the sphere up to 30 feet. If you ram the sphere into a creature, that creature must make the saving throw against the sphere’s damage, and the sphere stops moving this turn. The surface of the bubble has a spongy, yielding consistency (similar to that of a soap bubble, but not fragile and allowing objects to pass through it without affecting the spell) and so does not cause damage except by absorbing moisture. When you move the sphere, you can direct it over barriers up to 30 feet tall and jump it across pits up to 30 feet wide. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d4 for each slot level above 2nd. #### Disguise Undead *2nd-level illusion* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a cocoon of a death’s head moth) - **Duration:** 1 hour You make one undead—including clothing, armor, weapons, and equipment—look different. You can make it seem 1 foot shorter or taller, thin, fat, or in between. You cannot change the creature’s body type. For example, a wight could look human, humanoid, or like any other generally human-shaped bipedal creature. Otherwise, the extent of the apparent change is up to you. You could add or obscure a minor feature, such as a mole or a beard, or make it look like an entirely different creature. The spell does not provide the abilities or mannerisms of the chosen form. It does not alter the perceived tactile (touch) or audible (sound) properties of the undead or its equipment. A battleaxe made to look like a dagger still functions as a battleaxe. To discern that the creature is disguised, a creature can use its action to inspect its appearance and must succeed on an Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. #### Ease Pain *2nd-level abjuration (ritual)* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer, Paladin) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** S, M (a pinch of willow bark) - **Duration:** Instantaneous *Ease pain* immediately removes any effects of pain, including *angry ache, pain, symbol* (pain)*, power word pain, wave of pain, wrack* and similar spells. It does not heal any damage or other effects not directly related to pain. #### Execration *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Paladin) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a small bowl worth 10gp, with the name of your foe inscribed) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour You place a dark curse upon your opponent. One creature you touch must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, one of its abilities ebbs. Choose which one. For the duration, whenever it rolls an ability check or saving throw on the ability score of your choice, you can use your reaction to give it disadvantage on that saving throw or ability check. While this spell lasts, when you use your reaction in this way, you can amplify its power, forcing it to reroll (after advantage and disadvantage are applied) and take the lower roll. Doing so immediately ends the spell. \page
#### Exhume *2nd-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a shard of bone) - **Duration:** Instantaneous This handy spell pulls up to 20 corpses or piles of bones out of the ground within range, though it does not create bodies if there were none. It yields best results when cast in a graveyard or other burial place. #### Find Skeletal Steed *2nd-level conjuration* ___ (Paladin) ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous You summon a spirit that assumes the form of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed, creating a long-lasting bond with it. Appearing in an unoccupied space within range, the steed takes on a form that you choose: a warhorse, a pony, a camel, an elk, or a mastiff. (Your DM might allow other animals to be summoned as steeds.) The steed has the statistics of the chosen form, though it is an undead instead of its normal type. Additionally, if your steed has an Intelligence of 5 or less, its Intelligence becomes 6, and it gains the ability to understand one language of your choice that you speak. The steed has immunity to poison damage and the poisoned and exhaustion conditions, but vulnerability to bludgeoning damage. It cannot be turned as long as you ride it. Your steed serves you as a mount, both in combat and out, and you have an instinctive bond with it that allows you to fight as a seamless unit. While mounted on your steed, you can make any spell you cast that targets only you also target your steed. When the steed drops to 0 hit points, it disappears, leaving behind no physical form. You can also dismiss your steed at any time as an action, causing it to disappear. In either case, casting this spell again summons the same steed, restored to its hit point maximum. While your steed is within 1 mile of you, you can communicate with it telepathically. You can’t have more than one steed bonded by this spell at a time. As an action, you can release the steed from its bond at any time, causing it to disappear. #### Ghoul Glyph *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 hour - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (earth from a ghoul's lair) - **Duration:** Until dispelled or triggered *The faint, green glow of the glyph flares to life. A sickly green light fills the room, illuminating the paralyzed forms of its victims, and bringing with it the stench of death.* You inscribe a glyph, approximately 1 foot across, that paralyzes any living creature of Large or smaller size that comes within 5 feet of the glyph. You can scribe the glyph to be visible as faintly glowing lines, or invisible. You can inscribe a ghoul glyph on a portable object, but if the object is moved more than 5 feet, the glyph fades. You decide what triggers the glyph when you cast the spell. For glyphs inscribed on a surface, the most typical triggers include touching or standing on the glyph, removing another object covering the glyph, approaching within a certain distance of the glyph, or manipulating the object on which the glyph is inscribed. For glyphs inscribed within an object, the most common triggers include opening that object, approaching within a certain distance of the object, or seeing or reading the glyph. Once a glyph is triggered, this spell ends. When triggered, all creatures within 5 feet of the glyph must make a Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. #### Halt Undead *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a pinch of sulfur and powdered garlic) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Choose up to three undead creatures within range. All creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them. They must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw. They have disadvantage on this save if they have an Intelligence of 6 or lower. On a failure, the undead is incapacitated for the duration, and its speed is 0. This effect ends if it takes any damage. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional undead for each slot level above 2nd. #### Holy Fire *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Paladin) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a match) - **Duration:** 1 turn Your holy symbol and your eyes erupt in a blaze of silver fire. If you use an ability that lets you turn undead before the spell ends, all undead that make a save against your turning take 1d10 radiant damage and 1d10 fire damage. They take this damage whether or not the turning is successful. This damage is dealt before the turning is applied, so it does not end the effect. \page
#### Kelgore's Grave Mist *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 150 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a handful of dirt taken from a graveyard or tomb) - **Duration:** 1 minute *With a gesture, you create a cloud of clammy, thin mist. The light in the area seems to dim as the mist appears, and a slight wind washes over the area, sending a chill down your foes' spines.* This spell creates a thin mist within a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point you choose. The mist spreads around corners. It lasts for the duration or until strong wind disperses the mist, ending the spell. The mist is too thin to affect vision. When a living creature enters the spell’s area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, that creature takes 1d6 cold damage and its speed is reduced by 10 until the start of its next turn. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 2nd. #### Life Bolt *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous *Holding your palm outward, you intone the spell and empower it with a bit of your own life. A golden ray beams forth from your hand, striking an undead creature where its heart should have been.* You create three rays of brilliant light and hurl them at targets within range. You can hurl them at one target or several. Make a ranged spell attack for each ray. On a hit, the target takes 1d12 radiant damage. If you choose, you can expend some of your own life into the bolts. For each bolt you empower in this way, you sacrifice 1 hit point. In return, you roll the damage for that bolt twice and use the higher value. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you create one additional ray for each slot level above 2nd. #### Mark of the Outcast *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Druid, Paladin) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a small gong, which you beat once) - **Duration:** Permanent *You select your victim for punishment and invoke the ancient words of anathema. A dull purple splotch in the shape of a skull manifests itself on your victim’s flesh, visible to all.* One creature within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, this spell creates an indelible mark on the subject’s face (or other upper body part, if the subject doesn’t have a head). The mark is visible to normal vision and darkvision. The wearer of such a mark suffers disadvantage on Charisma (Deception) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks. The mark cannot be dispelled, but it can be removed with a *greater restoration* or *remove curse* spell. #### Phade's Fearsome Aspect *2nd-level illusion* ___ (Bard, Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 1 hour You touch a willing creature, making its facial features take on the aspect of a threatening creature seemingly birthed from the Abyss. The subject's eyes seem to change to glowing slits, its skin darkens and grows scales, and horns and sharp teeth appear to jut from its face. The change has no affect on the target's physical abilities, but it does have a +5 bonus to Charisma (Intimidation) checks, and can make such a check as a bonus action. You can choose the specific features of the illusion, as long as they are based upon those of Abyssal creatures. To discern that the subject is disguised, a creature can use its action to inspect its appearance and must succeed on an Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 2nd. #### Possess Trapper *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 90 feet - **Components:** S, M (a small gear) - **Duration:** 8 hours A bane to kobolds and rogues, you call forth malevolent spirits of dead pranksters that follow a potential trap setter. If the subject sets a trap during the duration of this spell, the spirits will intervene and it will immediately backfire. The victim might be pushed into the trap if trying to manipulate it from afar, or the spirits might flip a switch when the victim tries to set the final piece. The forces try their best to assure success, wielding their knowledge of traps to increase the DC of the trap by 1d4. \page
#### Ray of Depletion *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or lose 2d4 + your spellcasting modifier psi points, or half as much on a successful save. If you have a reservoir of at least 1 psi point, you gain the amount of points drained as temporary points, which last for 1 hour and can go over your maximum. This spell does not grant you any power to manifest psionics. The *ray of depletion* affects only targets possessing psi points. Non-psionic beings hit by a ray register some momentary unpleasant sensory awareness, but not so much as to disrupt an action or concentration. ***At Higher Levels.*** The psi drain increases by 1d4 for each slot level above 2nd. #### Reveille *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Bard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (burning incense) - **Duration:** 5 rounds *You touch the body and intone a lament, calling out to the living memory of the creature. Tendrils of mystical energy sparkle around the creature's lips, and it begins to speak.* This spell is a weaker variation on *speak with dead.* You cause a creature that has been dead for up to three days to reveal information about events that led up to its death. The corpse speaks tersely in its native language, using no more than a dozen words or so in a round. In the first round, it describes the last thing it saw. In the second, it describes its dying wish. In the third, it describes the attack that killed it. In the fourth, it tells who killed it. In the fifth, it tells why it believes it was killed. #### Shroud of Undeath *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (dust or bone fragments from any destroyed undead creature.) - **Duration:** 1 hour You shroud yourself with invisible negative energy so that nonintelligent undead perceive you as a fellow undead creature, ignoring you. Your appearance does not change, and while intelligent undead do not immediately recognize you as alive, they are likely to question whether you are actually undead. If used in conjunction with a disguise or an illusion to appear undead, this spell gives you advantage on your Deception check. If you attack an undead creature while this spell is in effect, the spell immediately ends. You can also end this spell as an action. >*“There are those who say that life ends when the body fails. When the blood ceases to flow and the lungs no longer breathe, they admit the end of their existence. Those men are fools. I, who have not felt the beat of a heart within my breast for three centuries—I know that life is no more dedicated to the body than innocence is attached to a soul. It is a simple task to cut it away and be freed.”* > >—Havrøkr the Malignant, Lich King \page
#### Spawn Screen *2nd-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a small sieve) - **Duration:** 8 hours *Hoping that your friend will not have need of the spell, you ensure that his death in the coming battle won't result in an even greater abomination.* The subject cannot be turned into an undead by the Create Spawn ability of undead creatures. This spell doesn't prevent the subject from perishing or provide anything other than insurance that the subject's body and spirit cannot be hijacked by an acquisitive undead creature. The protection applies if the duration is still in effect when the subject first dies; the spell need not linger in its effect during the period immediately prior to a spawn's rise. This spell cannot be cast on the body of a creature that has already been killed by a spawn-creating undead. #### Spectral Hand *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 10 minutes *A ghostly, glowing hand shaped from your life force materializes and moves as you desire, allowing you to deliver touch range spells at a distance.* You create a ghostly, floating, shimmering hand within range. You can move the hand up to 30 feet as a bonus action. For as long as the spell lasts, any touch range spell of the necromancy school that you cast can be delivered by the *spectral hand*. If the spell requires an attack roll, you use your bonus as normal. If you are an undead with a melee attack that deals any damage type other than (or in addition to) bludgeoning, piercing or slashing, or inflicts a condition, such as Rotting Fist, Paralyzing Touch, or Life Drain, you can deliver this attack through your spectral hand, but it deals no bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. A dread necromancer's Charnel Touch can likewise be delivered through the hand. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a 3rd, 4th, or 5th level slot, the hand lasts for 1 hour. When cast with a 6th or 7th level slot, the hand lasts for 8 hours. When cast with an 8th or 9th level slot, the hand lasts for 24 hours. #### Stabilize *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Druid, Paladin) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Self (60-foot radius) - **Components:** V, S, M (a bandage) - **Duration:** Instataneous You unleash a burst of energy, automatically stabilizing all creatures within range. #### Sticks and Stones *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You animate a pile of rocks, branches, limbs, and other debris within range into the crude shape of a Medium skeleton. The skeleton follows your orders unquestioningly. This creature is a **skeleton** in all ways, except it has resistance to necrotic damage and the following action option: ***Life Drain.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 5 (1d6 + 2) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain by this attack rises 24 hours later as a free-willed zombie, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you create one additional skeleton for each slot level above 2nd. Each of the creatures must come from a different pile of debris. #### Stolen Breath *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a stoppered glass vial) - **Duration:** 1 minute *With a clenched fist, you make a tugging motion toward your target. A transparent, barely perceptible hand appears to plunge into your target's mouth.* With this spell, you steal all the air from the subject's lungs, causing it to suffer a momentary respiratory crisis. It can take shallow breaths and act normally but is considered poisoned for 1 minute. At any time during this minute, the subject can take an action to get its wind back, ending the condition. This spell has no effect on creatures that don't need to breathe. \page
#### Tvash-prull's Bonefiddle *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Bard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a miniature silver fiddle worth at least 30 gp) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You call up a ghostly fiddle bow in the air above the targeted creature. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, this bow immediately descends into the subject's body and begins to saw back and forth against its skeleton. Although the music produced is eerily beautiful, it causes intense pain and anguish to the victim. At the start of each of its turns, the victim takes 1d8 thunder damage. While the spell lasts, it has disadvantage on Stealth checks. It also has disadvantage on all Concentration checks made to avoid losing concentration on a spell. As a bonus action, you can move the bonefiddle to another creature in range, but the new target gains a saving throw to resist the spell. If the new target makes its saving throw, the bonefiddle vanishes and the spell ends. The spell's effects continue even if the target moves so you no longer have line of sight to it, but you cannot shift the bonefiddle to a new target unless you have line of sight to the current target and to the intended target. #### Vertigo *2nd-level illusion* ___ (Bard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 90 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 1 minute A creature of your choice that you can see within range becomes dizzy as the ground seems to drop away beneath its feet. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or lose its balance. On a failed save, for each 5 feet the creature moves, it must make a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. Additionally, if it is within 10 feet of a cliff or hole with at least a 10 foot drop, it is frightened of the cliff or hole. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) or an Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. If the check succeeds, the target catches its balance and the spell ends. Airborne creatures suffer no effect from this spell as long as they continue to fly. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 2nd. #### Wracking Touch *2nd-level necromancy* ___ (Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous Your touch causes horrible agony in a creature’s vital area. Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, the target takes 5d6 necrotic damage. If you have sneak attack, you can add the dice to this attack's damage as necrotic, even if you would not normally be able to (because you have disadvantage on the attack, for example). ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 2nd. ### 3rd Level #### Armor of Undeath *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a band of steel) - **Duration:** 8 hours You touch a humanoid skeleton or corpse, and a willing creature. The skeleton or corpse need not be complete, but enough must remain for an *animate dead* spell to work. The skeleton or corpse rises and spreads around the willing creature, effectively becoming *+1 half plate*. The creature also gains 15 temporary hit points that last until the spell ends. A creature that is not proficient with medium armor takes the normal penalties for wearing *armor of undeath*. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the temporary hit points increase by 5 for each slot level above 3st. #### Aura of Cold *3rd-level evocation* ___ (Druid, Sorcerer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (10-foot radius) - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You are covered in a thin layer of white frost, granting you resistance to cold damage for the duration. Furthermore, frigid cold emanates from your body. When a creature enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it takes 2d6 cold damage. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 3rd. \page
#### Bestow Eternal Curse *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Bard, Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Permanent One creature within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become cursed for the duration of the spell. This curse can take any of the following forms: - **Bad Luck:** When the target rolls a 20 on the d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, it must reroll the die and use the new roll. If the new roll is a 20, it keeps the 20. - **Burning Silver:** The target takes 1d6 fire damage every round is it in contact with silver. This could be replaced with another valuable metal, such as gold, platinum, adamantine, mithral, etc., but not common metals like steel or iron. - **Dimensionally Bound:** The target cannot enter extradimensional spaces such as a *rope trick*. - **Eldritch Hunger:** The target must eat a pound of a strange substance once a day: raw meat, blood, gold, soil, and so on. - **Enfeeblement:** Choose one ability score. While cursed, the target has disadvantage on ability checks made with that ability score. - **Enmity:** The next person introduced to the target for the first time will hate him or her uncontrollably forever. Even if this curse is removed, the person still hates the victim of the curse, but the victim can improve the person’s attitude normally after the curse is gone. - **Gluttony:** The target requires four times as much food and water. - **Grotesque Form:** The target's appearance changes in a sinister butt purely cosmetic way. For example, the curse can place a scar on the target's face, turn the target's teeth into yellow fangs, give it a forked tongue, or give the target bad breath. - **Heart's Treasure Lost:** One cherished, nonmagical item vanishes from the target's possession. The object can't be found as long as the spell lasts. - **Illiteracy:** The target becomes unable to read or write. - **Infertility:** The target becomes infertile. - **Perfect Target:** The target's enemies prioritize attacking it over other opponents. - **Petty Failing:** The target is unable to perform a certain kind of act involving fine motor control, such as tying knots, writing, playing an instrument, or sewing. - **Poverty:** At some point within the next week (or whenever it is feasible), thieves are able to steal (6d10+40)% of the monetary wealth the victim has. This wealth can be regained normally. - **Sloth:** The target requires 12 hours of sleep every night to be rested, rather than 8. A creature that enters a trance (such as an elf) only trances for 4 hours but must still rest for 8 more. - **Sobriety:** All alcohol the character tries to drink turns to vinegar. - **Unnatural Aura:** Animals refuse to be within 5 feet of the target and do not respond to the target’s commands or requests. - **Unskill:** The target loses proficiency with two skills of your choice. If it previously had expertise in a skill, it instead becomes regularly proficient. - **Zzyczesiya's Spite:** Each time the target meets someone for the first time, there is a 50% chance that the new person will confuse the target with a hated enemy, a well-known criminal, or a raving lunatic. A *remove curse* spell ends this spell's effects, but *dispel magic* has no effect. At the DM’s option, you may choose an alternative curse effect, but it should be no more powerful than those described above. The DM has final say on such a curse’s effect. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a slot of 6th level or higher, you may choose from the following options as well: - **Burning Iron:** The target takes 1d12 fire damage every round is it in contact with steel or iron. - **Destitution:** Valuable metals (such as platinum, gold, silver, and copper) turn to lead in the target’s possession, even if they are in a *bag of holding* or stored away from the target. The target’s touch transmutes valuable metals (including coins) into lead as well. - **Let the Blood Flow:** The target cannot regain hit points through resting or other nonmagical means. - **Lost Knowledge:** All books and scrolls in the target's possession turn to ash. - **Myhriss's Spite:** The character is doomed to be forever unlucky in love and to have all of his or her romances end in heartbreaking tragegy. - **Putrid Husk:** The target's body deforms into an undead creature of your choice. It does not become undead. - **Terrible Luck:** When the target rolls a 20 on the d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, it counts as a 1. - **Unseen Doom:** All creatures of a specific kind (such as orcs, owlbears, or black dragons) are permanently invisible to the sight of the victim (*faerie fire,* *see invisibility*, *true seeing*, and similar spells still function normally). The spellcaster chooses the kind of creature. When cast with a slot of 9th level, you may choose from the following options as well: - **Friendship's Pain (Richten's Curse):** The character is doomed to see all of his or her friends die and be helpless to prevent it. - **Kas's Spite:** All of the target’s loved ones and allies suddenly despise him or her and will seek his or her ruin. Some may attack the target immediately, while others might carefully plot revenge. - **Love's Pain:** 1d4+1 of the target’s loved ones or allies are affected by a curse chosen by you from the two lists above. - **Pestilence:** A random friend or family member of the target contracts a disease. If the disease is magically cured or runs its course (regardless of the outcome), another loved one contracts a new disease. This recurs until the curse is lifted. \page
#### Black Sand *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 90 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes This spell creates an area of black sand (see below under Terrain), infused with shadowstuff and negative energy. Choose a point within range. A 20-foot radius layer of black sand appears around that point (the black sand is an inch thick). A region of black sand literally swallows light, emitting magical darkness rising to a height of 20 feet over the surface. Undead with darkvision can see through this darkness as if it were nonmagical. When a living creature enters the spell’s area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, that creature takes 2d4 necrotic damage (no save). Those reduced to 0 hit points crumble into black sand themselves. Undead are instead healed by 2d4 hit points at the start of their turn. Only the surface of the sand is affected by the spell, so creatures burrowing beneath an area of black sand are unaffected unless they break its surface. Creatures that do so immediately take damage from the spell. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the radius of the sand increases by 20 feet for each slot level above 3rd. #### Boneblade *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a 6-inch-long bone) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour You transform a bone at least 6 inches long into a type of sword of your choice (your choice). This weapon is a bloodfeeding, bodyfeeding weapon (see the Magic Items section, below). This spell confers no proficiency with the weapon, but you need not be the one to wield it. Attuning to this weapon takes 1 minute, instead of 1 hour. Only undead casters can cast this spell. #### Boneblast *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a fractured human bone) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You cause some bone within a touched creature to break or crack. You cannot specify which bone. Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target's Constitution is reduced by 1d3 points. On a success, the creature's Constitution is reduced by 1 point. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest. This spell has no effect on creatures that don't have endoskeletons, exoskeletons, or hydrostatic skeletons. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the reduction on a failed save increases by 1 for each slot level above 3rd. #### Cloak of Blood *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a vial of blood) - **Duration:** 1 minute You can sacrifice your own lifeforce to avoid blows. When a creature makes an attack against you, you can expend any number of hit points to raise your AC by half that amount rounded down, no action required (so spending 6 hit points raises your AC by 3). You can expend that number after seeing the roll. The bonus only applies against that specific attack. Losing hit points in this way never forces you to make a Concentration check, but in all other ways counts as damage. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you can also expend hit points to add a bonus to a saving throw. #### Clutch of Orcus *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 90 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Choose a humanoid that you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw be paralyzed for the duration as magical force crushes the subject's organs. At the start of each of its turns, the paralyzed target takes 1d12 bludgeoning damage. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Constitution saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target. If a creature dies while under this spell, you can choose to have one of its organs appear in your hand. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you can target one additional humanoid for each slot level above 3rd. The humanoids must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them. \page
#### Control Temperature *3rd-level transmutation (ritual)* ___ (Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (120 foot radius) - **Components:** V, S, M (a drop of mercury) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 8 hours You imbue an area with cold or fire energy, reducing or raising the temperature by up to two temperature bands (see below, under DM options). Effects of the new temperature on creatures and the environment are incurred immediately. Multiple castings of this spell do not stack. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a 4th or 5th level slot, you can shift the temperature up to 3 bands. When cast with a 6th or 7th slot, you can shift the temperature up to 4 bands. When cast with an 8th or 9th slot, you can shift the temperature up to 5 bands. #### Crown of the Grave *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (grave dirt) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 8 hours *A ring of ghostly fog surrounds the target's head. With a swirl, the fog dissipates, leaving behind a crown made of human bones.* This spell creates a magic crown that grants its wearer the power to command undead. While the spell lasts the crown's wearer can take an action to issue a one-word order to an undead creature, as per the *command* spell. The undead creature must make a Wisdom save against your spell save DC to resist this effect. In addition, if the wearer has the Channel Divinity or Channel Negative Energy features, it can expend a use of that ability to give the the undead disadvantage on its save against the *command*. If the wearer uses Channel Divinity or Channel Negative Energy in a way that affects undead, it can give all undead disadvantage on the save. Doing so immediately ends the spell. #### Curse Tablet *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a lead tablet and a nail) - **Duration:** 7 days You write the name of your victim on a lead tablet, drive a nail through it, invoke the spirits of the dead, and place the tablet within an occupied tomb. Every midnight for the duration, the victim must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it suffers horrible dreams of its own death, gaining no benefit from rest and taking 1d8 necrotic damage. Its maximum hit points are reduced by the same amount. On a success, it suffers no ill effects. After three successful saving throws (which need not be consecutive), the spell ends. The spell can also be safely negated by finding the tablet (it radiates necromantic magic) and casting a *remove curse* spell upon it. The tablet can also be melted or broken, but that deals 2d8 necrotic damage to the victim. *Remove curse* can also be cast upon the victim, though because the curse was not directly placed upon the victim, this only grants immunity to the spell's effect for 24 hours. When the spell ends, the creature cannot be affected by your curse tablet for another year. #### Dread Blast *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 150 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous A lance of dark energy flies from your finger, draining the flesh and dulling the mind. Make a ranged spell attack against a creature within range. On a hit, it takes 3d12 necrotic damage and must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failure, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the start of your next turn, and its speed is 0 for the same duration. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d12 for each slot level above 3rd. #### Feign Life *3rd-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a vial of human blood) - **Duration:** 1 hour This spell gives the illusion of life to a willing undead creature within range. For the duration of the spell, the target looks, sounds, smells, and feels exactly as it did in life. The target regrows skin, blood, and organs. While under this spell's effect, the target can eat, drink, breathe, and perform all other bodily functions, though it does not have to. It is identical to how it looked before death. Incorporeal undead appear solid, but do not actually gain substance. This spell does not grant sentience, so unintelligent undead act mindlessly as usual. \page
#### Flesh Ripper *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 300 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (the claw of a wight) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You evoke pure necromantic power in the form of a black claw that flies at the target. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 3d12 necrotic damage, and the wound rots rapidly for 1d4 points of necrotic damage at the start of each of the creature's turns until it is magically healed. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a 4th-level slot or higher, the spell deals an extra 1d12 points of necrotic damage for each level above 3rd. #### Ghoul Gesture *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a small scrap of cloth taken from clothing worn by a ghoul, or a pinch of earth from a ghoul's lair) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute A green ray stabs from your pointing finger to strike the belly of your enemy. You must succeed on a ranged spell attack with the ray to strike a humanoid target. A subject that is successfully hit must make a Constitution save or be paralyzed for the duration of the spell. A subject that succeeds on its saving throw is instead poisoned for the duration. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Constitution saving throw. On a success, the spell is reduced to poisoning the target ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you can fire one additional ray for each slot level above 3rd. All rays must be directed at different targets. #### Infallible Servant *3rd-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Cleric, Druid, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (dung) - **Duration:** 8 hours *You rub dung onto your minion's brow, intoning dark words to bind his life to your cause.* With a touch, you give a willing target a powerful motivation to avoid failure. If the target is captured or slain, its body dissolves into foul sludge. The target is utterly destroyed and cannot be affected by any spell or effect that restores life (such as *true resurrection*) or a semblance of life (such as *animate dead*) short of *wish.* When the target dissolves, all creatures within 30 feet must succeed on a Constitution save against your spell save DC or become poisoned for 1 minute. #### Infestation of Maggots *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a handful of dead, dried flies) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute *You touch your foe with the dust of dead flies on your fingers, giving birth to hundreds of writhing maggots in its flesh.* Make a melee spell attack against one creature you can touch. On a hit, the target creature takes 3d10 necrotic damage. At the start of its next turn, it must make a Constitution save. On a failure, it takes 3d10 necrotic damage and the spell continues. After the creature saves successfully against this spell once, the spell ends. Creatures without organs take half damage from this spell. \page
#### Invigoration of Undeath *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a mouse toe) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Choose up to four undead under your control that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, the affected undeads' speed is doubled, they gain a +2 bonus to AC, they have advantage on Dexterity saving throws, and they gain an additional action on each of their turns. That action can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action. When the spell ends, the targets can’t move or take actions until after their next turn, as a wave of lethargy sweeps over them. #### Irian's Light *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a sliver of quartz) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You channel the light of Irian, the Eternal Day, into three brilliant rays of positive energy that heal the living and reave the undead. You create three rays of light and hurl them at targets within range. You can hurl them at one target or several. Rays that are aimed at living or deathless automatically hit. Rays that are aimed at undead or constructs require a ranged spell attack to hit. Any living or deathless creature struck by a ray regains 2d6 hit points. Any undead creature struck by a ray takes 2d6 radiant damage. A construct struck by a ray suffers no effect. **Special:** Aerenal elf spellcasters create one additional ray. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast as a 4th level spell or higher, you create one additional ray for each level above 3rd. #### Junglerazer *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Druid, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (150-foot line) - **Components:** V, S, M (a pinch of ash from a burnt plant) - **Duration:** Instantaneous *Invisible destructive energy springs silently forth from you, instantly destroying all natural plant life in the area and leaving a path of ash in its wake.* A wave of negative energy forming a line 150 feet long and 15 feet wide blasts out from you in a direction you choose. Fey, plant creatures, and beasts caught in the area take 6d10 necrotic damage, or half with a successful Dexterity saving throw. Nonmagical plants that aren't creatures, such as trees and shrubs, simply wither and die. #### Mabar's Darkness *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a sliver of onyx) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You channel the darkness of Mabar, the Endless Night, into three umbral rays of negative energy that reave the living and heal the undead. You create three rays of darkness and hurl them at targets within range. You can hurl them at one target or several. Rays that are aimed at constructs, living, or deathless require a ranged spell attack to hit. Rays that are aimed at undead automatically hit. Any living or deathless creature struck by a ray takes 2d6 necrotic damage. Any undead creature struck by a ray regains 2d6 hit points. A construct struck by a ray suffers no effect. **Special:** Bloodsail elf spellcasters, or those of the line of Vol, create one additional ray. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast as a 4th level spell or higher, you create one additional ray for each level above 3rd. \page
#### Plague Carrier *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 7 days Your touch inflicts disease. Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, you afflict the creature with a disease of your choice from any of the ones described below. For the first 24 hours, the subject feels no ill effects (though it radiates necromantic magic). Any creature that comes in contact with the subject must make a Constitution save against your spell save DC or be affected as if by this spell, though it does gain advantage on this save. After 24 hours, the disease begins to take effect. Once this happens, at the end of each of the target’s turns, it must make a Constitution saving throw. After failing three of these saving throws, the disease’s effects last for the duration, and the creature stops making these saves. After succeeding on three of these saving throws, the creature recovers from the disease, and the spell ends. Since this spell induces a natural disease in its target, any effect that removes a disease or otherwise ameliorates a disease’s effects apply to it. **Blinding Sickness.** Pain grips the creature’s mind, and its eyes turn milky white. The creature has disadvantage on Wisdom checks and Wisdom saving throws and is blinded. **Filth Fever.** A raging fever sweeps through the creature’s body. The creature has disadvantage on Strength checks, Strength saving throws, and attack rolls that use Strength. **Flesh Rot.** The creature’s flesh decays. The creature has disadvantage on Charisma checks and vulnerability to all damage. **Mindfire.** The creature’s mind becomes feverish. The creature has disadvantage on Intelligence checks and Intelligence saving throws, and the creature behaves as if under the effects of the confusion spell during combat. **Seizure.** The creature is overcome with shaking. The creature has disadvantage on Dexterity checks, Dexterity saving throws, and attack rolls that use Dexterity. **Slimy Doom.** The creature begins to bleed uncontrollably. The creature has disadvantage on Constitution checks and Constitution saving throws. In addition, whenever the creature takes damage, it is stunned until the end of its next turn. #### Possess Animal *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a bowl of incense and a morsel of food appealing to the target animal) - **Duration:** 1 minute You can attempt to possess any beast or ordinary animal within range that you can see (creatures warded by a *protection from evil and good* or *magic circle* spell can’t be possessed). The target must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, your soul moves into the target’s body. The beast's soul remains in its body but has no control over it while your spirit is there. The possessed creature retains no memory of actions performed during the possession or knowledge of who possessed it. Once you possess a creature’s body, you control it. Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the creature, though you retain your alignment and your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You retain the benefit of your own class features. If the target has any class levels, you can’t use any of its class features. You can cast spells while you possess the animal only if you have the Beast Spells ability or an equivalent ability. For every 2 points of damage taken by the animal body while you are possessing it, you take 1 point of damage as well. If the animal body is killed while you are possessing it, you must make a Charisma saving throw against your own spell save DC. On a success, you return to your body if it is within 120 feet of you. Otherwise, you die. If your body is destroyed while your spirit is in the animal's body, you die at the end of the spell's duration. You can end this spell as an action. \page
#### Rain of Terror *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (120-foot radius) - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 10 minutes You cause a terrifying, unnatural rain to begin falling from the sky. You must be outdoors to cast this spell. Moving to a place where you don’t have a clear path to the sky ends the spell early. All creatures other than you within the area of effect suffer disadvantage on saves against being frightened (such as the spell *fear*). In addition, you gain advantage on Intimidation checks while the spell lasts. *Rain of terror* can manifest in a variety of grotesque and horrifying ways, from torrents of hot blood to a hail of writhing snakes. Regardless of its form, this gruesome rain has all the effects of normal rain, making the area lightly obscured, extinguishing flames (automatically dousing unprotected flames). The animals and effects of this spell are summoned, not illusory, but you have no control over them. Living creatures that rain down are 50% likely to survive. Thus, after a rain of toads, half are alive and hopping around and the other half are dead, killed by the impact. None of these animals are dangers or able to harm anyone, yet their presence is no less unnerving. Roll on the following chart to see how *rain of terror* manifests with each casting. If you wish, you can make a DC 15 spellcasting ability check to choose the type of rain (failure results in a random roll). | 1d8 | Type of Rain | |:----:|:-------------| | 1 | Black, putrid water | | 2 | Ash | | 3 | Steaming blood | | 4 | Toads | | 5 | Dead bats | | 6 | Snakes | | 7 | Spiders | | 8 | Roll twice (this can stack, so you could have a complex mixture of many types if you keep rolling 8) | #### Rejuvenative Corpse *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a corpse that died in the past week) - **Duration:** 24 hours or until discharged *Hunger gnaws at your innards as you complete the spell. Your hands glow with black crackling energy, which discharges into the corpse you touch. For a moment, the corpse glows with a similar blackness before fading.* You charge a body that has been dead for at most 1 week with negative energy, giving it the ability to heal an undead creature that dines upon its flesh. The corpse remains charged with this energy for up to 24 hours. If an undead creature eats a full meal of the corpse's flesh within this time (a humanlike undead creature, such as a ghoul, generally taking 10 minutes), the undead regenerates 5 hit points at the start of each of its turns for the next minute as long as it has at least 1 hit point remaining, totaling 50 hit points. This effect stacks with any regeneration the undead has from other sources. This spell does not allow the undead to regrow or attach lost body parts. Eating the flesh discharges the spell from the corpse. You can cast this spell multiple times on a corpse, allowing more than one undead to benefit from eating it. A typical Medium corpse is usually enough for ten such meals, a Small corpse five, Tiny two, Large 20, Huge 40, and Gargantuan 80 or more. A living creature that eats a charged corpse must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell DC or immediately contract filth fever (as if by the *contagion* spell). Creatures that are neither alive nor undead and eat the charged corpse are unaffected. #### Rigor Mortis *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** S, M (a pinch of ash from a cremated body of any kind) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute This spell allows you to wrap a single target in death's embrace, making it both feel and appear dead for the duration of the spell. You must succeed on a melee spell attack to affect unwilling targets, and unwilling targets make a Constitution saving throw. On a success, they suffer no ill effects. Willing targts, and unwilling targets who fail their saving throws, immediately fall to the ground unconscious as though dead. All vital functions (if any) are suspended; subjects of this spell do not breathe, pump blood, or otherwise indicate in any way that they still live. They do not need these functions for the duration of the spell. Each time it takes damage, the target can make a new Constitution saving throw. On a success, the spell ends. \page
#### Shivering Touch *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute The touch of your ice-cold hand can freeze the mobility and life of others. Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 frostburn damage, and suffers disadvantage on all Dexterity-based checks, attack rolls, and saving throws until the start of your next turn. Until the spell ends, you can make the attack again on each of your turns as an action. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 3rd. #### Skull Watch *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (the humanoid skull upon which the spell is cast) - **Duration:** Permanent *You lift the skull into the air and it floats gently out of your grasp, its eye sockets locked on a distant point.* The skull affected by a *skull watch* spell floats gently 5 feet off the ground, facing a direction you choose. It monitors an area 20 feet wide by 90 feet long, though walls and other opaque barriers can curtail this area. If any Tiny or larger living creature enters the area guarded by the skull, it emits a piercing shriek that can be heard up to a quarter mile away. Every creature within 60 feet of the skull when it shrieks must make a Constitution save or be deafened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the save at the end of its turn, ending the effect on itself on a success. Whether or not you can hear this audible alarm, you instantly become aware that the effect has been triggered, provided you are on the same plane as it is. The alarm resets 1 minute later. When you cast the spell, you can specify creatures that will not trigger the alarm. The skull can be moved from its original position by anyone who can get to it without entering its monitored area. The skull has AC 12 and 10 hit points. You are not magically made aware of the skull's destruction if it has not been triggered. > *“When the thirst comes upon me so fiercely I can’t recall my own name, when the searing Eye of the Day scalds my flesh, or as loneliness shrouds the vacuum where my soul used to reside, I wonder if I am as invincible as I pretend.”* > > —Blaesing, Dim Triad member #### Soul Charge *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a crystal worth at least 100gp) - **Duration:** 24 hours or until discharged One creature you touch must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature can choose to fail this save if it wishes. On a failure, you suck out a piece of a its soul, storing it in a special crystal. The creature takes 2d8 necrotic damage, and the crystal gains 1 charge, plus another charge for each 8 you roll. While the spell lasts, a creature holding the crystal can use it to provide one or more charges for a common, uncommon, rare, or very rare magic item, which expends charges normally. The spell can be cast again on the crystal only after all charges are expended. ***At Higher Levels.*** For each level above 3rd, the spell deals an additional 2d8 necrotic damage, and the crystal stores an additional charge. #### Spark of Life *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute *A touch from your hand outlines an undead creature in a faint yellow glow, making it vulnerable to many of the dangers that can harm living creatures.* You touch one undead creature within reach. It must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, for the duration of the spell, the undead creature loses any resistance or immunity to necrotic or poison damage and the exhaustion, paralyzed, and poisoned conditions. It must breathe, eat, drink, and sleep just like a normal living creature (though the last three aren’t likely to come into play thanks to the spell’s short duration). While it is under the effect of this spell, it is considered living for effects in which being living is worse, and undead for effects in which being undead is worse. For example, targeting it with *negative energy flood* damages it, and it can be turned. An undead creature affected by this spell retains all of its other traits. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell with a slot of 4th level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each level above 3rd. \page
#### Undead Conduit *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a pinch of bone dust) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes By strengthening the bondings of negative energy between yourself and a willing undead creature or an undead creature you control, you can cast spells or use Charnel Touch through its space. For the duration of the spell, you may cast spells of the necromancy school from an affected undead creature rather than yourself. In terms of range, touch attacks and area of effect, the undead creature effectively becomes the caster of the spell, though all other variables, such as damage, bonus to hit, DC, and slots expended are yours. #### Undead Lieutenant *3rd-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous *You cast your spell on the foul creature, and for a brief moment your own face appears atop its ruined body.* You empower the subject undead with the authority of command over undead in your control. The targeted undead must have Intelligence 6 or higher. Undead under your control obey the target undead as if it were you. You can give orders to the undead normally, superseding the orders of the subject of this spell. If the target undead creature is destroyed, the spell ends. You can have only one undead lieutenant at any time. #### Unliving Weapon *3rd-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components** V, S, M (a bit of sulfur and a drop of bile) - **Duration:** 8 hours This spell causes a willing corporeal undead creature to explode in a burst of powerful energy when it takes at least 1 point of damage, or at a time you designate before the spell ends, or when you speak a command word within 120 feet of it. The explosion is a 10-foot-radius sphere that deals 4d10 points of force damage, or half on a successful Dexterity saving throw. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 3rd. #### Vision of Fear *3rd-level divination* ___ (Bard, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 ft. - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous One creature within range must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, you get a sudden vision of either the target's greatest fear or its most recent source of fear, be it a situation, location, item, type of creature, or individual. You choose which fear to gain knowledge of, either greatest or most recent. The image is drawn directly from the subject's subconscious and is accompanied by a burst of vivid details. The intensity of the sensations connected to the vision and the clarity of the image is strong enough that you are treated as having firsthand knowledge of it for the purposes of scrying and having studied it carefully for the purposes of teleporting. This memory is magically aided and remains vivid for 24 hours, after which all but the vaguest images fade from your memory. If you attempt to scry upon or teleport using this memory after vision of fear has expired, you are treated as having second-hand knowledge in the case of scry and as having viewed the area once when using teleport. If you choose to use this spell to gain knowledge of the subject's greatest fear, you gain no immediate advantages--however, the knowledge now remains with you, and you can use it to craft illusions or place the creature in situations with its fear, with an effect determined by the DM. The spell has no effect on creatures immune to being frightened. Creatures with an Int of 3 or lower may have very primitive fears, such as predators. If the creature's most recent fear was due to a fear effect from a spell or other magical effect, you immediately identify the fear as a magical compulsion (and not a true personal fear), although the spell does not also relate an earlier more private fear. *Special:* A dread necromancer can learn this spell through the dark secrets class feature, even though it is not a necromancy spell. \page
### 4th Level #### Abi Dalzim's Horrid Sickness *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a drop of seawater) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You brutally dehydrate one creature within range. It must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is effectively poisoned for the duration, and is incapacitated while poisoned in this way. it can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, reducing the effect to effectively poisoned (without incapacitated) for the duration. This condition is not true poisoning, and works on some creatures immune to being poisoned (such as green dragons). If a creature has a metabolism and is largely made of water, this spell can affect it. It would be useless against a zombie. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 4th. The creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them. #### Aboleth Curse *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a drop of seawater) - **Duration:** Permanent You bestow a dreadful affliction on the creature you touch, similar to the effect of an aboleth's foul contact. Make a melee spell attack against one creature within range. On a hit, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the skin of the target creature transforms into a transparent, glistening membrane. A creature so transformed must keep this membrane moistened with cool, fresh water or take 1d12 points of acid damage every 10 minutes. Creatures that don't need to breathe are immune to this spell. This curse cannot be dispelled, but it can be removed with a *remove curse* spell if cast within 24 hours. Afterward, only a *heal* or stronger magic can remove the affliction. #### Animate Infectious Zombie *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a drop of blood, a piece of flesh, and a pinch of bone dust) - **Duration:** Instantaneous This spell creates an undead servant. Choose a corpse of a Medium or Small humanoid within range. Your spell imbues the target with a foul mimicry of life, raising it as an undead creature. The target becomes a zombie (the DM has the creature’s game statistics). On each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 60 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete. The creature is under your control for 24 hours, after which it stops obeying any command you’ve given it. To maintain control of the creature for another 24 hours, you must cast this spell on the creature again before the current 24-hour period ends. This use of the spell reasserts your control over up to four creatures you have animated with this spell, rather than animating a new one. The zombie also carries a disease. Any creature the zombie hits with its slam attack must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or contract zombie plague. Success means the creature is immune to zombie plague for 24 hours. See the Disease section later for details on zombie plague. A creature that dies as a result of zombie plague is not under your control. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you animate or reassert control over two additional zombies for each slot level above 3rd. Each of the creatures must come from a different corpse. \page
#### Blood Lightning *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a drop of lemon juice and a bit of copper) - **Duration:** 24 hours You charge one creature's blood with electric force. The next turn the creature's blood is drawn while the spell lasts (it takes piercing or slashing damage), it must choose to either discharge the magic or not discharge the magic. Discharging the magic is a reaction that forces all creatures within a 30-foot cone to make a Dexterity saving throw or take 8d6 lightning damage, or half on a successful saving throw. If it chooses not to discharge the magic, it instead gains 2d6 hit points. ***At Higher Levels.*** For each level above 4th, the damage or heal increases by 1d6. #### Boreal Wind *4th-level evocation* ___ (Druid, Sorcerer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (300-foot line) - **Components:** V, S, M (a snowflake) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute A line of strong wind 300 feet long and 20 feet wide blasts from you in a direction you choose for the spell’s duration. Each creature that starts its turn in the line must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 30 feet away from you in a direction following the line. It also takes 1d4 cold damage regardless of the outcome of the save. Any creature in the line must spend 3 feet of movement for every 1 foot it moves when moving closer to you. As a stronger form of *gust of wind*, this boreal wind automatically extinguishes candles, torches, and similar protected or unprotected flames, including lanterns. Large fires (such as bonfires, a blacksmith's coals, or even a house fire) have a 50% chance to be extinguished by the boreal wind. As a bonus action on each of your turns before the spell ends, you can change the direction in which the line blasts from you. #### Bone Form *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous A similar spell to *fabricate*, *bone form* allows you to create objects with a combined volume less than 5 feet long, high, and deep out of bone matter. You must have enough bones available to create objects out of. If you create weapons with this spell, they are nonmagical, but tainted by the power of this spell and tear lasting wounds. A creature damaged by one of these weapons takes 1 point of piercing damage at the end of its turn until the target receives magical healing or a creature within 5 feet of it uses its action to make a Wisdom (Medicine) check against your spell save DC. \page
#### Create Karrnathi Undead *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a drop of blood, a piece of flesh, and a pinch of bone dust) - **Duration:** Instantaneous Choose a pile of bones or a corpse of a Medium or Small humanoid within range. The target becomes a **Karrnathi skeleton** if you chose bones or a **Karrnathi zombie** if you chose a corpse. (See the bestiary below for their statistics). The undead created in this way is intelligent and free-willed. It is not under your control, though its starting attitude is friendly. It continues to hold whatever beliefs and allegiances it had in life, and if you order it to attack its old friends it will refuse the order and may become hostile towards you. Barring such incidents, however, it will generally assist and aid you. After 24 hours, the undead ceases to be automatically friendly to you, and it does as it pleases. If you have treated it well, it will likely bid you well and then depart for its own quest, perhaps setting itself up as a protector of its hometown; conversely, if you have treated it poorly, it may attack or seek your ruin. Generally speaking, it will only continue to adventure beside you if you share a common goal, or if you can offer some compelling reason for it to stay (such as promising to take care of its family). Note that a Karrnathi undead does not automatically have the equipment listed under its statblock; you will have to provide it with weapons and armor if it does not already possess them. However, many soldiers (on whom this spell is usually cast) will be outfitted in armor and weaponry similar to the statblock's. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast as an 8th-level spell, you can create a **karrnathi dread marshal**. #### Create Necropolitan *4th-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 24 hours - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a black diamond worth at least 1000 gold and four jade rings each worth at least 100gp, all consumed, and a gold crown inlaid with emeralds worth at least 400gp, not consumed) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You and 3 zombie servitors can turn a willing, living creature other than yourself that is not a celestial, elemental, fiend, ooze, or plant into a necropolitan (see the template below). You and your servitors must wear jade rings for the entire duration, while the applicant must wear the crown. The section Necromantic Rituals describes this ritual in full. #### Create Spirit Idol *4th-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 hour - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a clay pot filled with grave dirt, another filled with pure water, and one 150 gp black onyx stone) - **Duration:** Instantaneous *Light seems to coalesce around the corpse before you, gleaming in its eyes for a moment before it fades.* This ritual binds the subject’s soul to its physical remains, preventing its passage to the afterlife. This is a voluntary effect; the subject’s spirit must be willing (as if for a *resurrection*), or the spell automatically fails. Once bound to the body, the spirit remains in a state of torpor. If a *speak with dead* spell is cast upon a spirit idol, the spirit is woken to consciousness for the duration of the *speak with dead* effect. In this state, it can perceive its surroundings and communicate verbally in any languages it knew in life. (This effect occurs instead of the normal effect of *speak with dead*.) The spirit idol’s communication is typically brief, cryptic, or repetitive, but it does not intentionally give false answers. A spirit idol can be restored to life by *raise dead* or similar means. The spell preserves both the body and spirit perfectly, allowing such magic to be cast after the usual time limit has expired. If the body is destroyed or dismembered, the spell effect is broken and the soul passes to its afterlife. This spell was invented by Aereni necromancers to preserve those elves who aren't quite worthy enough to become deathless, but are too important to let pass on to Dolurrh and fade away. Outside of Eberron, it may have been invented by any church with an emphasis on preserving ancestors. #### Cursed Blade *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Ranger, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes *Drawing upon dark powers, you whisper a vehement curse and draw your finger down the weapon.* You touch a weapon and give it a terrifying power. A weapon affected by this spell deals wounds that can't be healed in the usual fashion. Any damage dealt by the weapon cannot be cured by any means until the damaged individual has received a *remove curse* spell (or some other effect that neutralizes a curse). If a creature is slain by a weapon that is under the effect of this spell, it can't be raised from the dead unless a *remove curse* spell (or similar effect) is cast on the body or a *true resurrection* spell is used. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a 5th-level slot, the damage the weapon deals is also vile damage. \page
#### Delay Death *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action or 1 reaction, which you take when a creature drops to 0 hit points - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (an hourglass) - **Duration:** 1 minute *You gesture toward your ally and call upon your power over life and death. A soft, golden glow appears on your companion's chest, around his heart.* Choose one willing creature within range. The subject of this powerful spell is unable to die from hit point damage. While under the protection of this spell, the normal limit of 3 failed death saves before a character dies is extended without limit. Furthermore, the subject becomes immune to death from massive damage. A condition or spell that destroys enough of the subject's body so as to not allow *raise dead* to work, such as a *disintegrate* effect, still kills the creature, as does death brought about by ability score reduction, or any instantly killing effect (such as a will-o-wisp's Consume Life). The spell does not prevent the subject from being unconscious from dropping to 0 hit points. It merely prevents death as a result of hit point loss. When the spell ends, if the target creature has 3 failed death saves (and has not regained any hit points), it dies. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 4th. #### Dream Walk *4th-level conjuration* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous You and up to eight willing creatures who link hands in a circle are transported bodily into a dreamscape. You must either be able to see the dreamer whose dreams you wish to enter or be within 30 feet of it. You can also use this spell to exit a dreamscape, appearing within 10 feet of the dreamer. #### Ebon Ray of Doom *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 1 minute You fire a ray of black energy that drastically slows down the rate at which the subject can recover hit points. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target's healing is impeded. Anyone attempting to restore hit points to the subject by means of any sort of healing magic must make a check using its spellcasting ability, with a DC equal to your spell save DC. On a successful check, the healing functions normally. Any creature with the Regeneration trait must make a Constitution save against your spell DC at the start of each turn. On a failure, the creature does not regenerate this turn. #### Feast of Flesh *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (at least 5 lb of raw flesh from your own species, which you consume) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour, and see text Feast of Flesh has similarities with *ghoul touch*, although its effects are far more long-lasting and serious. Owing to the gruesome material component required, few except the vilest of necromancers will ever cast it. It opens up a channel not just to the negative energy plane, but also to the primal essence of ghoulishness on that plane. For the duration of the spell, you can paralyze your opponents with a touch. You can make a melee spell attack against a humanoid within your reach as an action. On a hit the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 10 minutes. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Constitution saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target. Elves are immune to this effect. Additionally, a subject paralyzed in this way exudes a carrion stench. Any creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the subject must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to all stench from your spell for the next 24 hours. If you kill a creature paralyzed in this way, you can spend 1 minute consuming its corpse. This extends the spell's duration by 1 hour. At the DM's discretion, a caster who uses this spell too often may become a ghoul upon death. \page
#### Find Greater Skeletal Steed *4th-level conjuration* ___ (Paladin) ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous You summon a spirit that assumes the form of a loyal, majestic mount. Appearing in an unoccupied space within range, the spirit takes on a form you choose: a griffon, a pegasus, a peryton, a dire wolf, a rhinoceros, or a saber—toothed tiger. (Your DM might allow other animals to be summoned as steeds.) The creature has the statistics provided in the Monster Manual for the chosen form, though it is an undead instead of its normal creature type. Additionally, if it has an Intelligence score of 5 or lower, its Intelligence becomes 6, and it gains the ability to understand one language of your choice that you speak. The steed has immunity to poison damage and the poisoned and exhaustion conditions, but vulnerability to bludgeoning damage. It cannot be turned as long as you ride it. You control the mount in combat. While the mount is within 1 mile of you, you can communicate with it te1epathically. While mounted on it, you can make any spell you cast that targets only you also target the mount. The mount disappears temporarily when it drops to 0 hit points or when you dismiss it as an action. Casting this spell again resummons the bonded mount, with all its hit points restored and any conditions removed. You can’t have more than one mount bonded by this spell, *find steed*, *find skeletal steed*, or *find greater steed* at the same time. As an action, you can release a mount from its bond, causing it to disappear permanently. Whenever the mount disappears, it leaves behind any objects it was wearing or carrying. #### Finger of Agony *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You disrupt the organs of a creature you can see within range. At the start of each of its turns, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 3d6 bludgeoning damage and be incapacitated until the start of its next turn, or half damage and no other effects on a successful save. Creatures without organs, such as elementals, oozes, and golems, are immune to this spell. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a 5th-level or higher slot, the damage increases by 1d6 for each level above 4th. #### Icefane Corpse *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a wight's thumbnail) - **Duration:** 1 minute You infuse one willing undead creature within range with a powerful burst of necromantic cold. The affected undead gains several benefits: - Resistance to fire damage - Whenever it would take cold damage, it instead regains an equal amount of hit points - Its melee attacks do an extra 1d6 cold damage #### Manifest Desire *4th-level illusion* ___ (Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 20 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a circle of white cloth) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour Choose one creature of your choice within range. The target’s greatest desire appears before it in illusory form for all to see. Interaction with the image allows an Investigation check to disbelieve. Many casters use this spell simply to learn the subject’s greatest desire, not caring whether the illusion deceives the subject. #### Manifest Nightmare *4th-level illusion* ___ (Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 20 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a circle of black cloth) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour You target one creature within range. The target's greatest fear appears before it in illusory form for all to see. So long as the nightmare remains manifest and the target is able to see it, the target must make a Wisdom save at the start of each of its turns, until and unless the subject makes a successful Investigation check to disbelieve the illusion or can no longer see it. Whether the save succeeds or fails, the target is frightened of the illusion; on a failure the creature must take the Dash action and move away from it by the safest available route. In order to disbelieve the illusion, the subject must first force itself to interact with it as an action, to determine that it might be false. The target must make an Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. On a success, it realizes the illusion isn't real and is no longer affected by it. Many casters use this spell simply to learn the nature of the subject's greatest fear, not caring whether the illusion actually causes the subject to panic. \page
#### Miasma of Entropy *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (30-foot cone) - **Components:** V, S, M (a circle of black cloth) - **Duration:** Instantaneous *A red mist rises from the ground as you intone this spell, billowing outward from you. Within it you see leaves curl up, scrolls rot from their spindles, and the leather armor of your foes drip from their vulnerable forms.* *Miasma of entropy* causes accelerated decay in all wood, leather, and other natural materials in the spell's area. It destroys nonmagical objects of wood, leather, paper, and other formerly living organic matter. All such objects within the area rot into slimy, pulpy masses. Objects weighing more than 15 pounds are not affected, but all other objects of the appropriate composition are ruined. For objects that are being worn or carried, the bearer must make a Constitution saving throw per affected object. All failures mean the object in question is destroyed. #### Night's Mantle *4th-level abjuration* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V,S, M (a drop of pitch, consumed, and an onyx worth at least 250 gp) - **Duration:** 8 hours You imbue a creature with an invisible shield that protects it from all effects of sunlight. If cast on a vampire or other creature that is normally harmed or destroyed by exposure to sunlight, the spell allows that creature to function in sunlight without hindrance. The spell does not overcome any aversion the target creature may have for sunlight, however. *Night’s mantle* is not countered or dispelled by any light spell of equal or lower level (such as the 3rd-level spell *daylight*). It can be dispelled by a light spell of greater level (such as the 8th-level spell *sunburst*, which both dispels night’s mantle and inflicts its normal damage). #### Otiluke's Suppressing Field *4th-level abjuration* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (20-foot radius) - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour *Your skin tingles as you radiate a field of powerful magic.* When you cast this spell, designate a school of magic. Spells of that type are suppressed within the area of your spell. Anyone attempting to cast such a spell in (or into) the area must succeed on spellcasting ability check against your spell save DC. Precast effects make this check when first exposed to your suppressing field. If they succeed, they remain unaffected for the duration. If they fail, they are suppressed for the duration, resuming function (if their duration has not expired) when they leave the area. #### Pain *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a live leech) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Up to four creatures of your choice that you can see within range must make Constitution saving throws. A creature that fails this saving throw is wracked with intense pain. Whenever a target that fails this saving throw makes an attack roll, ability check, or a saving throw before the spell ends, the target must roll a d8 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw. So potent is the pain that even on a successful saving throw, whenever a target makes an attack roll, ability check, or a saving throw while the spell lasts, the target must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw. Creatures that do not feel pain are immune to this spell. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell with a 6th- or 7th-level slot, the targets must roll a d10 on a failed saves. When you cast this spell with an 8th-level or higher slot, the targets must roll a d12 on a failed save, or a d6 on a successful save. #### Rally of the Damned *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a small toy horn) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You send negative energy into all undead of your choice within range, bolstering their will. If an undead was turned or rebuked, it ceases to be. \page
#### Rebuking Breath *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** S - **Duration:** End of turn For this spell to function, you must have a breath weapon, either innately or as the result of a spell such as *dragon breath*. When you cast this spell, you imbue your breath weapon with negative energy that rebukes undead in its area. Undead within the area of your breath weapon that fail their saving throws cower in awe for 1 minute or until they take any damage. They are incapacitated and can’t move. The rebuked undead automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws. Attack rolls against the creature have advantage. #### Reconstitute Body *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 24 hours - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (rare oils and unguents worth at least 1,000 gp, which the spell consumes) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You touch a piece of a dead creature. The spell forms a new adult body for it, identical to its previous body. You can then cast *raise dead* on the newly created body as normal. This does not extend the 10-day limit of *raise dead*, but if that limit was extended through *gentle repose* or similar spells, it continues to be extended for as long as the *gentle repose* would have lasted. This spell must be cast in a special place linked to the forces of life and death, as determined by the DM. > ##### Reconstitute Body > > This spell allows players to bring back heroes who have been dismembered before access to the *resurrection* spell. If you would rather dismemberment be a more final fate, feel free to ban this spell. #### Shadow Curse *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Permanent One creature you touch must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, its natural healing process is halted by an infusion of shadow essence. Those so cursed suffer no immediate noticeable effects from the spell but soon find they no longer heal as normal. Creatures affected by this spell can only heal naturally or be affected by magic healing while in an area of bright light. Spells that heal damage fail if cast upon the creature in an area of shadowy illumination or darkness and natural healing does not occur while in such areas. This curse can be removed by the *remove curse* spell, but *dispel magic* has no effect. #### Shadow Leech *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous Make a ranged spell attack against one creature within range. On a hit, it takes 6d10 necrotic damage and all its color is drained from its body, becoming black, grey, and white. This discoloration lasts for 1d6 hours. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to half its hit point maximum. These temporary hit points last for 1 hour. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 4th. \page
#### Shadow Mastery *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a small sundial) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour Calling upon dark powers, you are able to cause an enemy's own shadow to rise up against it. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, this manifestation causes the shadow to cloak itself around its owner, making them very susceptible to attacks formed from negative energy. The subject must be casting a shadow for this spell to have any effect and thus will not work in pitch blackness. For the duration of the spell, however, the subject will cast no shadow at all as it envelopes the subject's body. While this spell is in effect, the subject suffers the following penalties: - Whenever the subject takes necrotic damage, roll damage twice and use the higher roll. - The subject has disadvantage on Perception checks and attack rolls, unless it has blindsight or can see in magical darkness. - The subject has disadvantage on saves against being frightened. If the target drops to 0 hit points before this spell ends, you can use a bonus action on a subsequent turn of yours to curse a new creature. The new target makes a Wisdom save of its own. #### Sheltered Vitality *4th-level abjuration* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer, Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a carved jade heart worth at least 200 gp) - **Duration:** 1 hour *Pressing your hand to the creature's chest, you utter a low chant, and a warm glow passes from your hand into the subject.* One willing creature you touch gains immunity to having its ability scores and max hit points reduced for the duration of the spell. #### Summon Undead Minions *4th-level conjuration* ___ (Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour You summon undead creatures that appear in unoccupied spaces that you can see within range. Choose one of the following options for what appears: - One undead of CR 2 or lower - Two undead of CR 1 or lower - Four undead of CR 1/2 or lower - Eight undead of CR 1/4 or lower A summoned creature disappears when it drops to 0 hit points. The summoned creatures are friendly to you and your companions. Roll initiative for the undead creatures as a group, which have their own turns. They obey any verbal commands that you issue to them (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any commands to them, they defend themselves from hostile creatures, but otherwise take no actions. If your concentration is broken, the undead don’t disappear. Instead, you lose control of the undead, they become hostile toward you and your companions, and they might attack. Uncontrolled undead can’t be dismissed by you, and they disappear 1 hour after you summoned them. The DM has the creatures' statistics. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using certain higher-level spell slots, you choose one of the summoning options above, and more creatures appear: twice as many with a 5th-level slot, three times as many with a 7th-level. \page
#### Vecna's Malevolent Whisper *4th-level enchantment* ___ (Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Instantaneous Believed to be an early attempt at the rediscovery of *power word kill* by the Whispered One himself, this dark spell rends the body and soul of its target. If the target has 20 hit points or less, it dies immediately. Otherwise, the spell has no effect. *Special:* A dread necromancer can learn this spell through the dark secrets class feature, even though it is not a necromancy spell. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the kill threshold increases by 5 for each level above 4th. #### Wall of Bones *4th-level conjuration* ___ (Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a tree branch from a cemetary) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes You crack the earth, sending huge bones lancing upward to stab the sky. You create ten rectangular boxes of bone that are 10 feet wide, 5 feet thick, and 20 feet high. The bones provide half cover to creatures on either side of them. Each must be on the ground, and each must be contiguous with at least one other box. The wall is composed of bones of many different types of creatures, fused at bizarre angles, but it cannot be animated by an *animate dead* spell nor communicated with via *speak with dead*. If the wall cuts through a creature’s space when it appears, the creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. It takes 2d8 piercing damage, or half on a success. On a failed saving throw, it is also restrained. A creature can move through the wall, albeit slowly and painfully. For every 1 foot a creature moves through the wall, it must spend 3 feet of movement. Furthermore, the first time a creature moves into or through the wall, the creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. It takes 2d8 damage and becomes stuck on a failure, or half damage and no other effects on a success. Being stuck is like being restrained in all ways, except it does not give attackers advantage against the stuck creature. A creature restrained or stuck by the bones can use its action to make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against your spell save DC. On a success, it frees itself. The wall is an object made of bone that can be damaged and thus breached. Each box has AC 15 and 150 hit points. It has vulnerability to bludgeoning damage. Reducing a panel to 0 hit points destroys it. If you maintain your concentration on this spell for its whole duration, the wall becomes permanent and can’t be dispelled. Otherwise, the wall disappears when the spell ends. *Special:* A dread necromancer can learn this spell through the dark secrets class feature, even though it is not a necromancy spell. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 4th. #### Wither Limb *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute *Uttering a rumbling phrase, you point at your foe and watch with delight as its limbs wither and twist, becoming useless.* One humanoid within range must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, either its arms or legs (your choice) are withered. Withered legs force a subject to fall prone while at the same time reducing the subject's land speed to 5 feet. Withered arms make it impossible for the subject to use objects or cast spells with somatic components. A withered limb can be restored to normal by *dispel magic* or *greater restoration.* If you maintain your concentration on this spell for the entire possible duration, the creature's limbs are withered until the effect is removed. #### Wrack *4th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a tear) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute + 3d10 minutes; see text *With the final word of the spell, your chosen foe is wracked with such pain that it doubles over and collapses. Its face and hands blister and drip fluid, and its eyes cloud with blood, rendering it blind.* Choose a humanoid that you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be wracked with unimaginable pain and stuck blind. The target falls is incapacitated and blinded. Its speed is 0 while incapacitated in this way, and it cannot benefit from bonuses to its speed. Even when the spell ends, the subject is still frightened of you for 3d10 minutes. *Ease pain* can end both effects. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can target one additional humanoid for each slot level above 4th. \page
### 5th Level #### Beltyn's Burning Blood *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a drop of blood and a pinch of saltpeter) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You ignite the blood of one creature within range. At the start of each of its turns, it must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 1d12 fire damage and 1d12 acid damage, or half as much on a success. Also on a failure, the pain slows the creature for that round. An affected target’s speed is halved, it takes a -2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can’t use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature’s abilities or magic items, it can’t make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn’t take effect until the creature’s next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can’t, the spell is wasted. Creatures without blood are immune to this spell. #### Bleed *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Your magic thins the blood of your target, causing it to spill with unnatural ease. One creature of your choice within range must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it gains vulnerability to piercing and slashing damage. Additionally, the creature suffers disadvantage against spells and effects that inflict the poisoned condition. It can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. Creatures without blood are immune to this spell. #### Blood of Fire *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (your blood) - **Duration:** Instantaneous When you cast this spell, you cut a mystic pattern into one palm with a knife and enchant your own blood. The spell creates four missiles. You can then send these missiles of blood streaking from the upturned palm, which explode on impact. You can hurl them at one target or several. Make a ranged spell attack for each ray. On a hit, the target takes 2d10 fire damage, and each creature within 5 feet of it must make a Dexterity saving throw or take the same damage. Casting this spell deals 4 damage to you. ***At Higher Levels.*** For each level above 5th, you create one additional missile, and take one additional damage upon casting. #### Charnel Fire *5th-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a pinch of brimstone) - **Duration:** Instantaneous With sinister black flame and brimstone, you completely consume one dead body so that absolutely nothing remains. A creature whose body is destroyed by a *charnel fire* spell can only be brought back to life through a *true resurrection* or *wish* spell. This spell can also affect animate corporeal undead. Such creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw or be destroyed and reduced to nothing. \page
#### Choking Sands *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a tiny stuffed animal filled with sand) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Your touch coats the target's lungs with dust and sand. Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it begins suffocating. It can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself with a success. If the creature spends its turn doing nothing but trying to cough up, it gains advantage on its save at the end of the turn. #### Consumptive Field *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (30-foot radius) - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute *Sweeping your arm about and clutching it to your chest, you draw the last breaths of fallen foes from their choking mouths and inhale them to fuel your own power.* All creatures in the area with 0 hit points that fail their Constitution saving throws die, and you gain 1d10 temporary hit points until the spell's duration expires. The temporary hit points stack with themselves, but not with any other source. Additionally, after a creature dies due to this spell, the next spell you cast before this spell ends is treated as if it were cast at 1 level higher. Creatures that fall to 0 hit points in the area after the spell is cast are likewise subject to its effect. No creature can be affected by this spell more than once per casting, regardless of the number of times that the area of the spell passes over them. ***At Higher Levels.*** At 8th level or higher, this spell affects creatures with 9 or fewer HP. #### Contact Ancient Spirits *5th-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a meal, and incense. Both are consumed by the spell) - **Duration:** 1 hour You summon forth the spirit of someone dead. You specify what spirit you summon, either naming one (such as "Noanar") or describing one (such as "a victim of the plague of 1374 in the town of Highfolk"). If no spirit meets your requirements, the spell summons the most similar one that does. The spirit remains for the duration, or until it chooses to leave. Spirits retain the knowledge they had in life, but do not possess any abilities they did (with exceptions; see below). Most spirits are willing to answer your questions to break the tedium of death. Some may request that their final wishes be met first. Any that recognize you as an enemy are very unlikely to be helpful, and may deliberately mislead you. If someone you try to summon is currently a sentient undead, the spell establishes telepathic contact with it. It is under no obligation to be helpful, and may be irritated at the intrusion. If the spirit you call back was a powerful spellcaster (capable of casting at least 5th-level spells), it appears as an incorporeal undead of the DM's choice, except it retains it spellcasting and class features from life. It acts as it would normally, and it retains its alignment from life. Its starting attitude is indifferent, but it may see you as a host body and try to possess you. Consequently, summoning powerful spellcasters is highly risky and is typically done in a *magic circle* spell. Destroying this undead manifestation deals no permanent harm to the spirit, who can be resummoned immediately. Otherwise, it vanishes when the spell ends, unless it has successfully possessed a host, in which case it remains until exorcised. #### Cryptwarden's Grasp *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a mummified finger) - **Duration:** Until removed *Your hand shrivels like the limb of a corpse as dark energy flows through your veins.* You inflict mummy rot on one creature you touch. Make a melee spell attack. On a hit, the creature takes 6d6 necrotic damage and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be cursed with mummy rot. The cursed target can't regain hit points, and its hit point maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target's hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and its body turns to dust. *Dispel magic* does not work against this spell, but *remove curse* does. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a 6th-level or higher slot, the initial damage increases by 1d6t for each level above 5th. \page
#### Door of Decay *5th-level conjuration* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 1 round *You feel yourself pulled forward, into the undead creature you have touched. Your flesh and soul grow cold, and after an instant of maddening emptiness, you reappear elsewhere.* You can use the Negative Energy Plane as a conduit in the same fashion that most teleportation magic uses the Astral Plane. Upon casting this spell, you can literally step into an undead creature and emerge from another designated undead creature on the same plane. If you do not know the precise location of the destination undead, you can select the undead creature you control nearest your desired exit point. Both undead creatures must be your size category or larger and either willing or under your control. (Mindless undead are considered willing only if you control them). You can bring along objects as long as their weight doesn't exceed your maximum load, but you cannot bring other creatures with you. *Special:* A dread necromancer can learn this spell through the dark secrets class feature, even though it is not a necromancy spell. #### Dreaming Puppet *5th-level enchantment* ___ (Bard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Unlimited - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes You attempt to take control of the physical body of a sleeping creature. At the beginning of the spell, you must name the subject or identify it by some title that leaves no doubt as to its identity. You then enter a trance, and the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, you appear in the subject’s dream. So long as you remain in its dream, you see the world through the eyes of its physical form, and you control its body as per the spell *dominate monster*. The subject is aware of you in its dream, and can identify you if it knows you personally. Once the spell ends, or if the subject shakes off the effect due to another save (see *dominate monster*), it remembers what it has done while under the effects of *dreaming puppet*. These memories are dreamlike and not entirely clear, but the subject recalls the gist of all that happened. If the recipient is awake when the spell begins, you can choose to wake up (ending the spell) or remain in the trance. You can remain in the trance until the recipient goes to sleep (assuming the spell’s duration lasts that long), then enter the recipient’s dream and force it to make a Wisdom save as normal. If you are disturbed and awaken during the trance, the spell ends. Creatures who don’t sleep (such as elves, but not half-elves), don’t dream, or are otherwise immune to being charmed are immune to this spell. You are unaware of your own surroundings or of the activities around you while in the trance. You are defenseless both physically and mentally (you automatically fail all saving throws) while in the trance. *Dreaming puppet* carries an element of risk for you as well as for the subject. If the target exceeds the required Wisdom save by 5 or more, or rolls a natural 20, not only are you barred from controlling it but your soul becomes lost in the dreamscape, unable to easily return to your own body. In order to return to your body, you must either find your way through the realm of dreams (and possibly other planes as well), cast a planar traveling spell such as *dream walk*, or be rescued. #### Elemental Shroud *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a prism) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes While the spell lasts, all undead of your choice within range gain resistance to one damage type of your choice, and their weapon attacks do an extra 1d6 of that damage type. #### Favor of the Martyr *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Paladin) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V - **Duration:** 1 minute *Calling upon the saints of your order, you imbue the person in need with the power to resist the dire forces arrayed against you.* You choose one willing creature within range, and grant it a strong protection against the vulnerabilities of the living. The subject gains immunity to being charmed and frightened, and to attacks that function specifically by causing pain, such as the *wrack* and *waves of pain* spells. It is further immune to effects that would cause it to be exhausted, incapacitated, paralyzed, poisoned, stunned, or unconscious. A creature at 0 hit points remains conscious but must make death saving throws as normal. If any of the above conditions were in effect on the subject at the time of casting, they are suspended for the spell's duration. (Thus, an unconscious subject becomes conscious and functional.) When the spell ends, any effects suspended by the spell that have not expired in the interim (such as levels of exhaustion) return. Effects that expired during the duration of this spell do not resume when it ends. \page
#### Fire in the Blood *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Sorcerer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a drop of your own blood) - **Duration:** 10 minutes You ignite your blood making deadly weapons of your own arteries and veins. Once the spell is cast, your blood takes on a mystical potency that makes it more corrosive than the strongest acid to anyone who draws it from you. From then on, until the spell's duration has elapsed, anyone who deals slashing or piercing damage to you with a melee weapon attack or melee spell attack is sprayed with your blood in retribution. The blood deals a cumulative 1d6 points of acid damage per attack upon your attacker, with no save applicable, up to a maximum of 5d6. Thus, the first time a foe hits you with a slashing or piercing weapon, it instantly takes 1d6 points of damage from the sanguinary backlash. The second time that same foe strikes you, it takes 2d6 points of damage. As soon as any single foe has taken 5d6 points of damage in a single spray from your corrosive blood, the spell ends. Opponents striking you with magical attacks that do not manifest in a slashing or piercing manner, or those striking you with only bludgeoning weapons, do not trigger the retributive blood spray. The arc and direction of the blood spray is magical in nature, and the spray does not splatter adjacent squares or parties, no matter how close together they might be. Each spray strikes only the one responsible for the wound. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast as a spell of 6th level or higher, the maximum retributive damage increases by 1d6 per level above 5th. So a 7th-level *fire in the blood* would end after it dealt 7d6 to a creature in a single instance. At 7th level and higher, *fire in the blood* can be cast on a willing creature you touch. #### Gelid Blood *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a pinch of flour) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Cold energy surges through the target's body, congealing the blood in the creature's extremities. Your target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target has disadvantage on attack rolls, all Strength and Dexterity-related checks, and all attacks against the target have advantage. Additionally, if the target casts a spell with a somatic component, it must roll a d20. On a roll of 10 or lower, the spell fails. If the target makes its Constitution save, the creature only takes disadvantage on all Strength-and Dexterity-related checks. If it casts a spell with a somatic component, it must roll a d20. On a roll of 5 or lower, the spell fails. This spell has no effect on creatures immune to cold damage. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each level above 5th. #### Ghost Storm *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Bard, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute One thing the lost cities share, despite their diverse locations, is a history of loss and despair. Had no tragedy occurred, the city would have remained vibrant. Yet something—some terrible fate, be it plague, disaster, war, madness, or worse—befell the ancient citizens of the now empty city, and an echo or remnant of their final hours is firmly imprinted in what ruined stones still remain in their one-time homes. *Ghost storm* calls upon the residual energies of anguish, fear, terror, and despair embedded in the stones of the region and magnifies them to a terrifying degree. A 30-foot-radius sphere centered on a point within range is engulfed in ancient power. As the spell is cast, dozens of wrathful, shrieking spirits rise out of the ground in and ruined walls of the surroundings, filling the area with a whirling storm of wretchedness and agony. As the spirits move around and through any creatures caught in the area, their anguish and pain is transferred to any living creatures in the area. The affected area becomes difficult terrain, as the ghosts clutch at anything moving within. Additionally, a living creature that starts its turn in the *ghost storm* takes 2d8 necrotic damage. All living creatures in a *ghost storm* must make a Constitution save. On a success, they are frightened of you until the end of your next turn. A new saving throw is required each round the creature stays in the *ghost storm*. On a failure, a creature is frightened for 1 minute, and is incapacitated while frightened in this way. After leaving the *ghost storm*, the creature can make a new save, ending the effect on itself on a success. Once created, a *ghost storm* remains stationary. A creature that enters the area must immediately save against its effects, even if he has already made a previous saving throw against the same spell. This spell is far less effective in areas other than lost cities (a "city" is a community with a population 5,000). If the spell is cast in a location where a city never existed, the ghosts produced fill only a single 5-foot-radius sphere. \page
#### Ghoul Gauntlet *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Permanent *Your touch gradually transforms a living victim into a ravening, flesh-eating ghoul.* Make a melee spell attack against a humanoid within your reach. On a hit, the subject must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the subject takes 3d6 points of damage at the start of each of its turns while its body slowly dies and its flesh is transformed into the cold, undying flesh of the undead. When the victim reaches 0 hit points, it gains the ghoulish template. If the target fails its initial saving throw, *heal, remove curse, wish, dispel magic* (of an appropriate level or with an appropriate check), or *greater restoration* negates the gradual change. Healing spells can temporarily prolong the process by increasing the victim’s hit points, but the transformation continues unabated. Ghouls created by this spell are free-willed. #### Grimwald's Graymantle *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a skull, consumed) - **Duration:** 1 minute *Crushing the skull in your hand, you create a cloud of sickly gray energy that streaks toward a creature, wrapping it in the foul essence of unlife.* A skull-shaped cloud of gray energy strikes your target. The gray radiance is transferred to the creature, covering it entirely. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a success, it suffers no ill effects. On a failure, it suffers the effects for the duration of the spell. While the spell lasts, the subject cannot regain hit points or ability score points by any means, nor can the creature's maximum hit point be raised. Regeneration abilities the subject has from any source are suppressed for the duration of the spell. Spells that heal damage do not work on that individual. The subject can improve its current hit points by boosting its Constitution score and can receive temporary hit points (from a *false life* spell, for example). When the spell ends, automatic healing abilities, such as a troll's regeneration, and items that restore hit points, such as a *ring of regeneration*, begin to function again. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 5th. #### Kiss of the Vampire *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a black onyx worth at least 50 gp that has been carved with the image of a fang-mouthed face) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You draw upon the powers of unlife to give yourself abilities similar to those of a vampire. You become gaunt and pale with feral, red eyes. You can cast the following spells at will, none of which require material components or concentration when you cast them in this way and the spell lasts: - *vampiric touch* - *charm person* - *gaseous form* (self only) You also gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons. While you are using this spell, Charnel Touch heals you. You are treated as if you were undead for the purpose of all spells and effects, rendering you unaffected by most healing. You can be turned or rebuked as as if you were an undead. If you would be destroyed, you are instead stunned for 1 minute. If you would be commanded, you are instead charmed for 1 minute. All effects you create with this spell last for their normal duration after this spell ends. #### Mass Inflict Wounds *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous Tendrils of decaying energy washes out from a point of your choice within range. Choose up to six creatures in a 30-foot-radius sphere centered on that point. Make a melee spell attack against each creature you select. On a hit, the creature takes 6d10 necrotic damage. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 5th. #### Necrotic Skull Bomb *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a humanoid skull) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You imbue a humanoid skull with negative energy and hurl it. The skull detonates on impact, releasing the negative energy contained within. All living creatures within a 20 foot radius of the explosion must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they take 4d12 necrotic damage and gain 1d3 levels of exhaustion, or half as much damage and no exhaustion on a successful save. These levels of exhaustion last for 1 minute. \page
#### Nethergaze *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (two jade eyeballs, each worth 100gp) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute *Nethergaze* causes your eyes to become cold orbs of purple misty light. When an undead meets your eyes, the connection between the creature and the negative energy plane is impaired, causing damage and momentarily eliminating all abilities related to that connection. When an undead creature that can see your eyes starts its turn within 60 feet of you, you can force it to make a Constitution saving throw you aren't incapacitated and you can see the creature. On a failure, the creature takes 3d10 radiant damage and is unable to deal any necrotic damage until the start of its next turn. On a success, the creature takes half damage and suffers no other effects. Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so. it has disadvantage on attack rolls against you until the start of its next turn. If the creature looks at you in the meantime, it must immediately make the saving throw. #### Night's Caress *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a wight's finger) - **Duration:** Instantaneous *A touch from your hand, which sheds darkness like the blackest night, disrupts the life force of a living creature.* Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, you deal 10d6 necrotic damage, and the target must make a Constitution saving throw or have its maximum hit points reduced by a like amount. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. The spell has a special effect on an undead creature. An undead touched by you takes no damage, but it must make a successful Wisdom saving throw or drop whatever it is holding and flee. While fleeing due to this spell, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. If the creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn’t have line of sight to you, the creature can make a Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the spell ends for that creature. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 5th. #### Oath of Blood *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (grave dirt) - **Duration:** Special *Oath of blood* functions only when cast on a creature that is currently under the effects of a *geas* or similar spell. It extends the reach of the *geas* beyond death. If the individual subject to the geas dies before completing the task, *oath of blood* animates it as an undead creature in order that it might continue its quest. The undead creature is a corpse creature or bone creature, depending on how much flesh remains (see the templates below), except it is immune to turning and rebuking. Once the task is complete or the original *geas* (or similar spell) expires, the magic animating the subject ends and it returns to death. \page
#### Sepulchral Gaze of Chronepsis *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Self (60-foot cone) - **Components:** V, S, M (a bit of a gravestone and an hourglass) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes You gain the ability to see spirits. This functions similarly to *speak with dead*, but enables you talk with the fleeting memories of anyone who has died and still has a mouth or skull with which to speak. Only you can hear these voices. Incorporeal undead cannot hide from you by any means while in the cone. You can see them while invisible, behind walls of any thickness, and even while on the ethereal plane. You also gain the ability to communicate with them even if you do not share a language, through a form of telepathy that only works with them. You also know can learn how close a living (non-construct, non-undead) creature is to death, both in terms of years and in terms of injury. As an action, you can gain knowledge of how many years or months it has left if they maintain their current condition of health, with the first digit guaranteed to be accurate. Alternatively, you can use an action to find out if it has almost all (over 75%) of its health, most (over 50%), some (over 25%), or almost none (over 0%) of its health. ***At Higher Levels.*** At 6th level, this spell lasts 1 hour. At 7th level, 8 hours. At 8th level, it no longer requires concentration. At 9th level, 24 hours. #### Shrieking Missile *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (powdered chicken bone, sprinkled on the weapon) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour You touch a ranged weapon, such as a bolt, arrow, javelin, or rock. That missile becomes imbued with nearby spirits who are irresistibly drawn in by the flood of negative energy. When fired, the missile screams the cries of a thousand tortured souls as it flies through the air, unnerving any enemy. The holder of the ammunition makes the ranged attack roll as normal. All within 10 feet of its path must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you for 1 minute. A creature affected by this effect can repeat the save on the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Whether the missile hits or misses, when it lands it releases the spirits. All creatures within 30 feet of where the missile hits must make a Wisdom saving throw or drop whatever it is holding and become frightened for 1 minute. While frightened by this effect, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from the missile by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. If the creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn’t have line of sight to the missile, the creature can make a Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the spell ends for that creature. \page
#### Skull Eyes *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute This spell is a less versatile version of *eyebite*. For the spell’s duration, your eyes are black and have skull-shaped irises. One creature of your choice within 60 feet of you that you can see must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be affected by the following effect for the duration. On each of your turns until the spell ends, you can use your action to target another creature but can’t target a creature again if it has succeeded on a saving throw against this casting of *skull eyes*. ***Panicked.*** The target is frightened of you. On each of its turns, the frightened creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest and shortest available route, unless there is nowhere to move. If the target moves to a place at least 60 feet away from you where it can no longer see you, this effect ends. #### Soul Shackles *5th-level necromancy* (ritual) ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 day - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a specially prepared talisman) - **Duration:** Until dispelled You can only cast this spell on desecrated ground or the area of a *hallow* spell. You chant a potent necromantic ritual into a talisman, making it radiate a strong necromantic aura. You can then give it to another creature. If that creature dies while the talisman is on its person, its soul is drawn out of its body and into the talisman. Henceforth, if you regain the talisman, you can call forth the soul of the subject and question it about what it knew in life for up to 1 minute each day, asking one question per turn. The soul looks as it did in life, including the clothing and equipment it had with it on the day it died. Answers are clear, complete, and precise. If the subject is hostile, or if the answer to the question was an important secret to it in life, the subject gains a Wisdom saving throw. A successful saving throw indicates that the spell ends and the soul departs to its afterlife. If the creature is the target of a *raise dead* or similar effect while its soul is trapped, the creature makes a Charisma save. If it succeeds, it can be raised if it wants to. Otherwise, it stays trapped. You can release the trapped soul as an action. #### Spirit Wall *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a clear gemstone) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes A swirling wall of shrieking greenish-white forms springs into existence at a point you choose within range. The wall appears in any orientation you choose, as a horizontal or vertical barrier or at an angle. It can be free floating or resting on a solid surface. You can form it into a hemispherical dome or a sphere with a radius of up to 10 feet, or you can shape a flat surface made up of ten 10-foot-by-10-foot panels. Each panel must be contiguous with another panel. In any form, the wall is 1 foot thick. It lasts for the duration. When the wall appears, each creature within its area must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d12 necrotic damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. On a failed saving throw, the creature's maximum hit points are reduced by a like amount. One side of the wall, selected by you, emits a low groaning that causes creatures within 60 feet of that side to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, creatures become frightened for 1 minute. They can repeat the save at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success. Any creature that merely touches the wall takes 1d12 points of necrotic damage as its life force is disrupted. A living creature passing through the wall takes 2d12 necrotic points of damage, and must make a Constitution saving throw or have its maximum hit points reduced by a like amount. The barrier is semimaterial and opaque, providing total cover and blocking line of sight. #### Touch of Vecna *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Your hand grows cold and darkens with the pulse of negative energy. Your touch bestows negative energy on the target, dealing 3d10 necrotic damage and rendering it frightened of you until the end of your next turn. (Creatures immune to fear aren't frightened but are still subject to the spell's other effects). Additionally, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it is incapacitated and its speed is reduced to 0 as its muscles slow to a crawl. Creatures immune to being paralyzed are immune to this effect. On a successful save, the creature isn't affected. A creature incapacitated by this spell must make another constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. If it successfully saves against this spell three times, the spell ends. If it fails saves three times, it is paralyzed. The successes and failures don't need to be consecutive, keep track of both until the target collects three of a kind. If you maintain your concentration on this spell for the entire possible duration, the creature is paralyzed until the effect is removed. Creatures paralyzed in this fashion appear dead, though a DC 20 Perception or Medicine check reveals that they still live. *Dispel magic* doesn't help a creature paralyzed by this spell, though *lesser restoration* or any effect that can remove a curse can free the victim. \page
#### Undying Vigor of the Dragonlords *5th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a scale from a dracolich) - **Duration:** Instantaneous A golden ray of light erupts from the ground beneath you, bathing you in a column of healing illumination that dances with yellow flecks. This spell converts arcane spell energy into pure draconic life energy, guiding it to repair damage to your body. You immediately heal 5d6 points of damage. As part of the casting of this spell, you can sacrifice one sorcerer spell slot of up to 9th level; doing this increases the healing by 1d6 points per level of the sacrificed slot. For example, a 10th-level sorcerer who spent two 5th-level spell slots (one to cast the spell and another to enhance it) would heal 10d6 points of damage. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the healing increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 5th. ### 6th Level #### Animate Dread Warrior *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a rusted fragment of a sword blade broken in battle) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You transform the corpse of a skilled warrior into an undead monster under your command. The corpse in question must be that of a humanoid with at least three levels in a martial class and no more Hit Dice than your own. The body must be substantially whole, although any injury short of dismemberment does not interfere with the spell. Upon completion of the spell, the subject corpse reanimates as a dread warrior under your command (see the Dread Warrior template below). You cannot have more than one dread warrior under your control at a time. The creature serves loyally and obeys your orders to the best of its ability. Upon the caster's death or if its creator frees it, the dread warrior becomes a free-willed undead creature. #### Arrow of Bone *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a tiny sliver of bone and a vial of blood mixed with powdered precious gems worth 50 gp, used to paint the runes on the projectile. Both are consumed) - **Duration:** 8 hours *You complete the long ritual needed to cast the spell, scribing arcane runes into the item. It changes before your eyes into an identical item made of bone. The runes glow with dark magic and the weapon feels cold to the touch.* You scribe runes of dire power on a single missile or thrown weapon (usually an arrow, bolt, dart, javelin, or spear), changing the weapon into a sinister missile of cold, enhanced bone. When the weapon is thrown or fired normally (as a ranged weapon attack), if it hits, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes an additional 7d10 necrotic damage, or half as much on a success. This spell grants no proficiency with the weapon, but anyone can fire it. Whether the projectile hits or misses, the magic is discharged, and the projectile is destroyed. #### Ashen Union *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a piece of dried fruit and a pinch of volcanic ash) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You drain all the moisture from the body of a creature. One creature within range must make a Constitution saving throw. It takes 8d8 dessication damage on a failure, or half on a success. If the subject takes damage from this spell equal to more than half its current hit points (regardless of whether the initial save was successful or not), it must immediately make another Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 8d8 more dessication damage. If any part of this spell reduces the target to 0 hit points, it dies, and every drop of moisture is expelled from its body and it is reduced to a fragile husk that crumbles to dust at the slightest touch. The creature can be restored to life only by means of a *true resurrection* or a *wish* spell. Its equipment is unaffected. No matter the outcome of the saving throw, the subject is considered to not have drunk any water today, regardless of how much it has drunk. It must drink four times its normally daily amount the rest of the day to avoid exhaustion due to dehydration (see the Player's Handbook). This spell also moves four gallons of water into your body, covering your daily needs. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, both the initial and the secondary damage increase by 1d8 for each slot level above 6th. >*“Look not into the eyes of the Tomb of Acererak.”* > >—*Legend lore* spell \page
#### Aura of Terror *6th-level enchantment* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (30-foot radius) - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes *You speak a few curt words and your face is briefly overlaid with the image of a violet-shaded skull. The skull fades, but the nimbus of violet light remains around you.* You become surrounded by an aura of fear, granting you a frightful presence not unlike that of a dragon. Each creature of your choice that enters within 30 feet of you for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it is frightened for 1 minute. A creature that ends its turn where it can no longer see you can repeat the save, ending the spell on a success. A successful save leaves that opponent immune to your frightful presence for 24 hours. If you cast this spell when you already have the frightful presence ability or a fear aura, the spell becomes more effective where the auras overlap: - The spell uses the spell save or the frightful presence save, whichever is higher - A creature that is frightened by this spell must drop whatever it is holding. While frightened in this way, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. If the creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn’t have line of sight to you, the creature can make a Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the spell ends for that creature. #### Blackwater Taint *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (bone or scale of a fish that dwells in the deep, sunless parts of the ocean) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute *In the dark, sunless abysses of the deep ocean, shadows gather, the cold beckons, and the corpses of many things in the oceans lie slowly rotting. These black waters are often poisoned with the energies of undeath.* When this spell is cast, you call up the cold blackness of those stygian depths, infusing the waters in the spell's area with negative energy. All water within 20 feet of a point you choose within range becomes charged with negative energy. This spell has no effect out of water. Those in or entering the area must make a Constitution save to resist its terrible power. Those who fail the save are chilled to the bone, taking 3d12 necrotic damage and 3d12 cold damage, and cannot regain hit points while the spell lasts. A successful save halves the damage. Undead caught in the area take no damage and are instead healed by 3d12. Furthermore, the spell's area is treated as though there it were desecrated ground. This area of blackwater remains in place for the spell's duration, affecting creatures who enter the area in subsequent rounds. A creature can only be affected once by the spell, regardless of success or failure on the saving throw, so creatures who leave and reenter the area take no additional effect (although the desecrate effect remains throughout the spell's duration). ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a slot of 7th level or higher, the necrotic damage and the undead-heal both increase by 1d12. #### Blizzard *6th-level transmutation* ___ (Druid, Sorcerer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 1 mile - **Components:** V, S, M (a twig encrusted with rime) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Choose a point within range. A cylindrical storm 600-foot-tall with a 1200-foot radius erupts centered on that point, dropping the temperature to 25 degrees Fahrenheit if it wasn't already colder. Visibility is reduced to zero, making Perception checks impossible. The furious snow and wind make all ranged attacks impossible, even for creatures that possess blindsight. Unprotected flames are automatically extinguished. Even protected flames have a 75% chance of being doused. When a creature without heavy winter clothing or magical protection from cold enters the spell’s area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 1d4 cold damage. One foot of new snow falls each round. Movement within the area is impeded, depending on the creature's size and depth of snow (for movement in a snow field, see the DM options section below). At the DM's discretion, a creature may be buried in snow. \page
#### Brainkill *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Instantaneous This spell is a far cruder yet far more brutal version of *modify memory*. One creature you touch must make a Constitution saving throw. On a success, it suffers a painful headache that lasts for 1d4 hours but otherwise has no effect. On a failure, you destroy part of its brain, causing 2d6 necrotic damage and a splitting headache that lasts for 2d4 hours. You burn away the memory of a specific place, a person, or a time period of up to one year (your choice.) The *brainkill* spell affects only memory and the ability to recall factual information. For example, a person thus affected might be completely unable to remember details of a place, the name, appearance, or any traits of a person, or might have a one-year blank in its memory. The spell has no effect on abilities or skills. For instance, an individual who learnt how to swim ix months ago would no longer remember the swimming lessons, but still retains the ability (though it might not become evident until the subject jumps into a large body of water.) Aside from relearning lost knowledge as best as one can, "killed" memories cannot be regained except by a *regenerate* or *wish* spell. This spell has no effect on creatures that do not have a brain or a central nervous system. #### Breath of Pestilence *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (30-foot cone) - **Components:** S, M (a dead mosquito) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You exhale a cone of putrid breath that can infect creatures with disease. All creatures within range must make a Constitution saving throw or suffer an effect that varies as follows: - If you are currently suffering from a disease, creatures within the cone who fail their saving throws are infected with the same disease. If you are suffering from multiple diseases, you pick one to spread. - If you have a natural attack that causes disease (such as mummy rot, corpse bloat, or gangrenous touch), creatures within the cone who fail their saving throws are infected with that disease. If you have neither, this spell has no effect. #### Conjure Undead *6th-level conjuration* ___ (Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** 90 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a copper coin) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour You summon an undead creature of challenge rating 6 or lower. It appears in an unoccupied space that you can see within range. The undead creature disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends. The undead creature is friendly to you and your companions for the duration. Roll initiative for the creature, which has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any commands to the undead creature, it defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no actions. If your concentration is broken, the undead creature doesn’t disappear. Instead, you lose control of the undead creature, it becomes hostile toward you and your companions, and it might attack. An uncontrolled undead creature can’t be dismissed by you, and it disappears 1 hour after you summoned it. The DM has the undead creature’s statistics. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the challenge rating increases by 1 for each slot level above 6th. #### Corpsefire *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 300 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous When you cast this spell, a blue-grey cloud of sparks floats out from your hand to fill a 40-foot radius sphere. Any corpses in this area immediately explode into blue flames that fill a 20-foot radius sphere centered on their position. Any corpses caught in this fire likewise ignite. Thus, a large battlefield can quickly be set ablaze with this spell. All non-undead creatures caught in the *corpsefire* take 8d8 cold damage, or half on a successful Dexterity saving throw. A creature cannot be damaged by more than one explosion. Any corpses destroyed by this spell require *resurrection* or stronger magic to bring back. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 6th. #### Curse of Lycanthropy *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a pint of animal blood of the type you are infusing) - **Duration:** Instantaneous One creature you touch must make a Constitution saving throw or be cursed with a type of lycanthropy of your choice. This can be cured with *remove curse* as normal lycanthropy can be, but *dispel magic* has no effect. \page
#### Ectoplasmic Enhancement *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 24 hours You empower up to 12 incorporeal undead within range, granting them a variety of benefits. The base AC of an affected undead becomes 13 + its Dexterity modifier. The undead gains advantage on attack rolls and on saving throws against being turned. If the undead has a trait that makes it weaker in sunlight, that is suppressed for the duration. The undead does not take damage from ending its turn inside an object. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a 7th level slot or higher, you empower 2 more undead for each level above 6th. #### Fleshshiver *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a bone, which is snapped during the casting of the spell) - **Duration:** Special Breaking the bone in the grip of your fist, you hear the sickening but satisfying crunch of your foe's bones breaking beneath its squeezing flesh. One creature you touch must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is stunned until the start of your next turn. At the start of your next turn, the target must make a another Constitution save or take 4d10 points of bludgeoning damage and have disadvantage on attack rolls because of the pain for 1 minute, or half damage and no other effects on a success. It can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. #### Kyristan's Malevolent Tentacles *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 90 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a piece of tentacle from a giant octopus or a giant squid) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Squirming, ebony tentacles crackling with energy fill a 20-foot square on ground that you can see within range. For the duration, these tentacles turn the ground in the area into difficult terrain. 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 2d8 necrotic 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 and 2d8 necrotic damage. Whenever the spell deals damage to a target, you regain hit points equal to half the amount of necrotic damage the target takes. 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. #### Martyr's Death *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (30-foot radius) - **Components:** V, S, M (an edged weapon, which you plunge into your own throat or similar vital region) - **Duration:** Instantaneous This spell was created as a weapon of last resort, for its consequences are dire. Every living creature of your choice within 30 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw or drop to 0 hit points. Even on a success, a creature takes 10d12 necrotic damage. Undead and constructs are immune to these effects. You are slain by completing this spell, and can never be resurrected by any magic whatsoever. Nor can *clone* or similar spells give you a new body to inhabit—your very soul is annihilated by this spell's fell power. #### Necrotic Mist *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 150 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a small piece of a tombstone dedicated to a creature that became undead after being buried for at least 1 month) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes You create a 20-foot-radius sphere of poisonous, yellow-green fog centered on a point you choose within range. The fog spreads around corners. It lasts for the duration or until strong wind disperses the fog, ending the spell. Its area is heavily obscured. When a living creature enters the spell’s area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, that creature must make a Constitution saving throw. The creature takes 2d8 cold damage regardless of the outcome of the save. Undead are instead healed for this amount. On a failed save, it is *slowed* as the spell. Creatures are affected even if they hold their breath or don’t need to breathe. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 5th. \page
#### Necroticizing Claw of Falazure *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a square of black silk and a shard of dragon bone) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute When you cast this spell, the target creature's body decays from the inside as its lifeforce is siphoned out. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. The target takes 8d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If it is neither undead nor a construct, it also takes upon the appearance of an undead of the DM's choosing for the duration of the spell (if it dies under the effects of the spell, it retains that appearance in death). If the affected creature saves successfully, their decaying flesh inhibits regeneration. As long as you concentrate on this spell, the healer must make a spellcasting check against your DC or the healing is wasted and the slot is expended (any other effect of the healing spell works as normal). On a failed save, the decaying flesh turns healing to harming. As long as you concentrate on this spell, any healing magic applied to the creature harms it for the amount of health the magic would have healed it for. ***At Higher Levels.*** At 7th level and higher, the spell heals you equal to the damage you did. Additionally, for each level above 6th, the target also gains one level of exhaustion that last as long as you concentrate on the spell on a failed save, so a 9th level casting applies 3 levels. #### Possess *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Druid, Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a bowl of incense) - **Duration:** 1 minute You can attempt to possess any creature within range that you can see (creatures warded by a *protection from evil and good* or *magic circle* spell can’t be possessed). The target must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, your soul moves into the target’s body. The target's soul remains in its body but has no control over it while your spirit is there. The possessed creature retains no memory of actions performed during the possession or knowledge of who possessed it. Once you possess a creature’s body, you control it. Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the creature, though you retain your alignment and your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You retain the benefit of your own class features. If the target has any class levels, you can’t use any of its class features. For every 2 points of damage taken by the target body while you are possessing it, you take 1 point of damage as well. If the body is killed while you are possessing it, you must make a Charisma saving throw against your own spell save DC. On a success, you return to your body if it is within 120 feet of you. Otherwise, you die. If your body is destroyed while your spirit is in the target's body, you die at the end of the spell's duration. You can end this spell as an action. #### Revive Undead *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 hour - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a black pearl worth at least 500 gp, which the spell consumes) - **Duration:** Instantaneous *Touching the corpse of the creature, you whisper to its departed spirit, calling it back—but not to life.* Your restore animation to a destroyed undead creature (even zombies and skeletons that can’t normally be reanimated once destroyed). For sentient undead, if the creature’s soul is both willing and at liberty to rejoin the body, the creature returns to life with 1 hit point. Non-sentient undead need not have a free soul. This spell also neutralizes any positoxins and cures nonmagical diseases that affected the creature at the time it died. This spell doesn’t, however, remove magical diseases, curses, or similar effects; if these aren’t first removed prior to casting the spell, they take effect when the creature returns to life. This spell closes all mortal wounds, but it doesn’t restore missing body parts. If the creature is lacking body parts or organs integral for its survival – its head, for a vampire – the spell automatically fails. Coming back from the dead is an ordeal, even for the undead. The target takes a -4 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. Every time the target finishes a long rest, the penalty is reduced by 1 until it disappears. \page
#### Shadow Shield *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a piece of black paper) - **Duration:** 1 minute You are surrounded in a smoky wreathe of flickering darkness. Any creature that strikes you with a melee attack deals normal damage, but must make a Constitution save or be blinded for 1 minute. #### Soul Scour *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a pinch of dust from the bones of a lich) - **Duration:** Instantaneous (see text) Your touch corrupts your victim's very soul, withering away its willpower and force of personality. You must make a successful melee spell attack to deliver the spell. On a hit, the target must make a Charisma saving throw at the start of each of its turns for the next minute. Whenever the target fails this saving throw, its Charisma is reduced by 1d4. On a success, the target suffers no ill effect that turn. These reductions last until the target finishes a long rest. If the target's Charisma is reduced to 0 from this spell, it is stunned until it regains at least one point of Charisma, and it automatically fails all Charisma saving throws while stunned in this way. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a spell slot of 8th level or higher, the spell reduces Charisma by 1d6 per turn instead of 1d4. #### Thunguul's Preservation *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a candle of exceptional value worth at least 100 gp, consumed) - **Duration:** 24 hours You draw 3d6 of your hit points away into a special candle, which is lit when the spell is cast. For the duration of the spell, your maximum hit points are reduced by a like amount. This reduction cannot bring either your current nor your maximum hit points by 1. If you are killed while this spell lasts, once its duration ends you return to life with a number of hit points equal to the amount invested. If the spell ends before then, you regain those hit points. However, if the candle is extinguished or destroyed prematurely, the hit points are lost, and must be healed as if by a normal wound. #### Undeath to Death *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 150 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (the powder of a crushed diamond worth at least 500 gp) - **Duration:** Instantaneous This spell is the inverse of *circle of death.* A sphere of positive energy ripples out in a 60-foot-radius sphere from a point within range. Each undead creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw. A target takes 8d6 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the damage increases by 2d6 for each slot level above 6th. #### Unfetter Undead *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 150 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (three drops of blood from a corpse that died of cold) - **Duration:** Instantaneous By manipulating the threads of necromantic energy that bind undead to their masters, you release them from control. All controlled undead within 50 feet of a point you choose within range become uncontrolled unless their master makes a successful Charisma saving throw. Undead released from control by this spell are harder to control for some time afterwards, so they have advantage against being turned or rebuked for 1 hour. #### Wail of Doom *6th-level necromancy* ___ (Bard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (30-foot-cone) - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Instantaneous You unleash a terrible cry of malice and anger. The very air darkens with black energy as your cry echoes away from you. Each creature in a 30-foot cone must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 10d4 psychic damage and is frightened for 1 minute and must drop whatever it is holding. On a successful save, it takes half damage and is instead frightened until the end of its next turn While frightened by this spell, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. If the creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn’t have line of sight to you, the creature can make a Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the spell ends for that creature. \page
### 7th Level #### Avasculate *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous A crackling black ray springs from your pointing finger to a creature that you can see within range. A creature targeted by this spell must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 10d6 + 40 force damage and is stunned until the start of your next turn, or half as much damage and no other effects on a success. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 8th level or higher, the damage increases by 3d6 for each slot level above 7th. #### Awaken Undead *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** Self (30 foot radius) - **Components:** V, S, M (a humanoid fingerbone and a black opal worth at least 200 gold) - **Duration:** Instantaneous This spell grants intelligence to undead with Intelligence scores of 6 or below such as skeletons and zombies. Undead with Intelligence scores over 6 are unaffected. Undead with an Intelligence of 6 or lower the radius acquire an Intelligence of 6+1d6. Undead regain any skills, feats, or special abilities they had in life, such as poison or scent. Awakened undead gain advantage against being turned. #### Barghest's Feast *7th-level necromancy* (ritual) ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a diamond worth at least 5,000 gp, consumed) - **Duration:** Instantaneous *The diamond in your hand turns to coal, and then to dust, which sprinkles down upon the corpse. Where it strikes, ebon flames spring up, and when the flames pass nothing remains, not even grave dust. "Return from that one," you mutter.* Black flames flicker over a corpse, utterly consuming it. You destroy the remains of a dead person or creature, preventing any form of raising or resurrection that requires part of the corpse. There is a 50% chance that a *wish*, *true resurrection*, or divine intervention cannot restore to life a victim consumed by a *barghest's feast* spell. Roll a d100 once for the destroyed creature. On a roll of 51-100, the creature cannot be brought back to life by mortal magic. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a 9th-level slot, no magic can restore the victim to life. #### Blood to Water *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a drop of water and a drop of blood) - **Duration:** Instantaneous *You forcefully spit, ending your spellcasting. From where you spat arises a sea-green orb of energy for each creature you intend as a subject of the spell. The orbs fly to their designated targets and turn blood red as they impact.* You create five orbs of water and hurl them at targets within range. You can hurl them at one target or several. Make a ranged spell attack for each ray. On a hit, the target takes 2d10 necrotic damage as its blood turns to water, and must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws until it finishes a long rest. Oozes, plants, and any organisms without blood (such as most undead and elementals) are not affected by this spell. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 8th level or higher, you create one additional orb for each slot level above 7nd. \page
#### Cheat Death *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 hour - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a diamond worth at least 1,000 gp, which the spell consumes) - **Duration:** Permanent until triggered Developed by mighty dragon mages, *cheat death* is in many ways a lesser version of *death pact*, though it does not rely on any divinity's will. The next time you fail a death saving throw, roll 1d12. On a roll of 1-3, the magic of the spell fails, and you must live or die on your own (though *resurrection* and other magic works normally). On a roll of 4-12, you die, but your soul is safeguarded in a magical receptacle on the Astral Plane. The soul remains in the receptacle for 1d100 days, minus your level (or CR if you don't have a level), minimum 1 day. When the duration passes, you are restored to life at 1 hit point as if *resurrection* had been cast upon you. Your body could be damaged, in which case all wounds are closed and necessary vital organs are restored. However, *disintegrate* and similar magic can block your return to life as normal. This spell can be dispelled before it takes effect, in which case you suffer no ill effects. #### Control Undead *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You use negative energy to control an undead creature that you can see within range. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be influenced by you for the duration. If you or creatures that are friendly to you are fighting it, it has advantage on the saving throw. A creature that fails its save against this spell can't attack you or target you with harmful abilities or magical effects. While the creature is under the spell's influence, you have a telepathic link with it as long as the two of you are on the same plane of existence. You can use this telepathic link to issue commands to the creature while you are conscious (no action required), which it does its best to obey. You can specify a simple and general course of action, such as “Attack that creature,” “Run over there,” or “Fetch that object.” If the creature completes the order and doesn’t receive further direction from you, it defends and preserves itself to the best of its ability. You can use your action to take total and precise control of the target. Until the end of your next turn, the creature takes only the actions you choose, and doesn’t do anything that you don’t allow it to do. During this time, you can also cause the creature to use a reaction, but this requires you to use your own reaction as well. Each time the target takes damage, it makes a new Wisdom saving throw against the spell. If the saving throw succeeds, the spell ends. #### Create Crypt Thing *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a shard of a tombstone) - **Duration:** Instantaneous This spell can only be cast inside a tomb or crypt. Choose a pile of bones within range; this spell makes it rise as a **crypt thing**. It is not under your control but it is friendly to you. #### Death Dragon *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a dragon's bone) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes *You summon unholy power to gird yourself in a dragon-shaped cocoon of bones and negative energy.* The cocoon created by this spell makes your AC equal to 15 + your Dexterity modifier, unless it was already higher. The cocoon prevents you from casting spells with somatic or material components, but does not otherwise hinder your actions or movement. As an action, you can cast the *fear* spell (no concentration required) or cast the *inflict wounds* spell as a 4th-level spell. You need not provide any somatic or material components when casting these spells in this way. For the duration, you also gain a flying speed of 60 feet and can hover. #### Dream Sight *7th-level divination* ___ (Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes You fall into a deep sleep while your spirit leaves your body in incorporeal form and travels to distant locations. Your spirit has a fly speed of 120 feet and can hover. It can see and hear anything you could if you were in the same location. The spirit can be blocked by any spell that wards incorporeal creatures, and it can be detected and attacked in the same way as incorporeal creatures can. Your spirit can do nothing but move and observe—it cannot speak, attack, cast spells, or perform any other action. At the end of the spell, your spirit instantaneously returns to your body and you wake up. If your body is disturbed while your spirit is wandering, the spell ends immediately. \page
#### Evil Glare *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute *You cast this spell and your eyes begin to tingle, brimming with dark energy. You shoot a glance at your rival, and she freezes in her tracks from your malignant glare.* This spell, inspired by the malevolent gaze of the shadowy nightwalkers, causes your eyes to glow with dark energy. One creature of your choice within 60 feet of you that you can see must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you for the duration of the spell. The frightened creature is paralyzed. It can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a successOn each of your turns until the spell ends, you can use your action to target another creature but can’t target a creature again if it has succeeded on a saving throw against this casting of *evil glare*. #### Greater Harm *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, - **Duration:** Instantaneous You unleash a virulent disease on a creature that you touch. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 10d12 necrotic damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. The damage can’t reduce the target’s hit points below 1. If the target fails the saving throw, its hit point maximum is reduced for 1 hour by an amount equal to the necrotic damage it took. Any effect that removes a disease allows a creature’s hit point maximum to return to normal before that time passes. #### Necrotic Curse *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (30 foot radius) - **Components:** V, S, M (grave dust) - **Duration:** 8 hours *You feel a wave of cold pass through you as it seeps into the land, the air, and even the souls of those nearby.* You imbue the area with negative energy so powerful it transforms positive energy into its opposite. Anyone in the area who casts a healing spell that does not work on undead must succeed on a spellcasting ability check; if the check fails, the healing spell deals damage to each of its subjects equal to the amount of health it would normally restore. Additionally, all natural regeneration is cancelled. Healing that works on undead, such as *goodberry* and *aura of vitality*, functions normally. You can end this spell as an action. #### Pact of Return *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 8 hours This spell allows you to establish the conditions whereby you will be brought back to life upon your death. When you cast *pact of return*, you must state either a specific creature or a set of specific circumstances that you expect will be responsible for your death at some point within the spell's duration. If you name a creature, that creature does not have to deal the deathblow to trigger the release of the spell, but it must play an active part in your demise. If you name a set of circumstances, those circumstances must be reasonably specific or the spell will fail, leaving you well and truly dead. An acceptable set of circumstances would be, "I expect fire to play a pivotal role in my demise", whereas an unacceptable set would be, "I expect to die from loss of hit points". The DM decides whether the terms are acceptable. Whether the subject of your demise is a specific person or a specific source, you must die for the spell to take effect. If you do, and the circumstances of your demise are similar enough to those described when you cast the spell (DM's discretion), you are instantly resurrected (see the spell) with no penalties. You can have more than one *pact of return* active at the same time, each one to be triggered by a different foe or set of circumstances, but you must keep track of the total time that has elapsed for each. A *pact of return* that has not yet taken effect is still a magical effect (and a powerful necromantic one, at that), which can be dispelled by one who detects its presence. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with an 8th-level slot, the duration increases to 24 hours. Its range changes to "touch", and can be cast upon a willing target. \page
#### Panacea *7th-level abjuration* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer, Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (red sap of the elephant tree) - **Duration:** Instantaneous This powerful spell removes almost all afflictions. You touch a willing target and end any or all of the following conditions on it: blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, stunned, and unconscious. It cures all diseases and neutralizes all poisons afflicting the target. Any effect that reduced the target's ability scores or its hit point maximum ends, as does any effect that functions by causing pain. Any spell or effect that is cured by *greater restoration*, *heal*, or *remove curse* (such as *feeblemind*) is also ended by this spell. The creature also regains 4d6 hit points. #### Phoenix Fire *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a tail from a phoenix, worth 40gp, that is consumed in the casting) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You immolate yourself, consuming your flesh and creating a cylinder of flame 120 feet high and 30 feet in diameter centered on you. You die (no saving throw). All creatures of your choice within range take 10d6 fire damage and 10d6 radiant damage, or half on a successful Dexterity saving throw. Other creatures take no damage. After 10 minutes, you rise from the ashes as if restored to life by a *resurrection* spell, with the normal penalty to rolls. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 8th level or higher, both the fire and the radiant damage increase by 1d6 for each slot level above 7th. #### Power Leech *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a live leech) - **Duration:** Concentration, 1 minute, then concentration, up to 1 hour; see text You siphon off another creature's power to fuel your own. One creature within range must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, the spell takes effect. The creature can choose to fail if it wants. When you cast this spell, and at the start of each of your turns while the first part of the spell lasts, you can remove one point from the target's ability score. You gain that as a bonus to your own same score. You choose what ability score, and can choose different scores from turn to turn. Reductions to scores last until the target receives a *greater restoration* spell or similar magic. If the target's Strength or Dexterity is reduced to 0, it is paralyzed until it regains at least 1 point. If the target's Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is reduced to 0, it is stunned until it gains at least 1 point. If the target's Constitution is reduced to 0, it dies. The conduit lasts concentration, up to 1 minute. After the first stage of concentration ends, the bonuses last for concentration, up to 1 hour. #### Raise Death Hulk *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 hour - **Range:** 600 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a sunken ship and the corpse of a sea captain. The corpse is consumed, while the ship rises) - **Duration:** Instantaneous With this mighty spell, you raise an entire ship and its crew from beyond the grave. It rises to the surface from the sea floor, complete with undead crew, under your total control. Such death hulks are the stuff of legend, kept afloat through powerful magicks, despite the great holes in their hulls through which the sea flows freely. Animated skeletons and zombies patrol the deck, performing all the tasks they did in life and forming a frightening boarding party when the ship goes into battle. Outside of battle, they are an expert crew, capable of navigating through dire storms and whirlpools. A sunken ship must be in range of the spellcaster for this spell to have any effect. *Raise death hulk* will cause the ship to rise to the surface of the sea, where it will be magically seaworthy and under the full control of the necromancer. Regardless of the amount of times this spell is cast, only a single death hulk may be controlled at any one time by a single caster. Any type of ship may be raised this way and it will have a full complement of crew, usually **zombies**, though **skeletons** may also appear if the ship has lain at the bottom of the sea for more than a year. The ship also has a **jolly roger** first mate, who is a capable, clever, and dependable subordinate. The undead share your alignment and follow your orders loyally. The undead gain several improvements: - A swim speed equal to their walking speed - Immunity to the exhaustion condition - Intelligence, Charisma, and Wisdom scores of 10 unless they were already higher - Can speak all languages they did in life - Add twice their proficiency bonus on any check made to handle the ship or navigate The number of undead raised by this spell depends upon the size of the ship. Zombies, skeletons, and jolly rogers animated by this spell cannot go further than 1 mile from the ship they were raised from. \page
#### Ravage *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a broken divine symbol of an enemy faith) - **Duration:** Instantaneous A terrible column of swirling black or white energy engulfs creatures and rips at their bodies and souls in a location you specify. Each creature in a 10-foot radius, 40-foot-high cylinder centered on a point within range must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 8d10 radiant or necrotic damage (your choice) on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This damage is vile damage. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 8th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 7th. #### Retributive Enervation *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute. The world around you takes on a dim and muted tone as you are encased in a tight-fitting sheath of crackling negative energy. Whenever a creature hits you with a melee attack, it takes 4d8 necrotic damage, and until the spell ends, you can use your action on each of your turns to automatically deal 6d8 necrotic damage to any target that has hit you with a melee attack during the duration. The spell ends if you use your action to do anything else. Whenever the spell deals damage to a target, you regain hit points equal to half the amount of necrotic damage the target takes. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 5th. #### Undeath after Death *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a piece of obsidian shaped like a heart, which is placed on the subject's chest, and a black onyx gem worth at 500 gp. This gem must be placed in the subject's mouth. Both are consumed by the spell) - **Duration:** Permanent until discharged You tear off a piece of a creature's life force, corrupt it with negative energy and the power of undeath, then bind it back to the same creature's body. This process initiates a necrotic transformation when the creature dies. The subject of this spell loses 2 points of Constitution upon casting. The lost Constitution cannot be regained until the spell is discharged or dispelled, at which point *greater restoration* works. When it dies, the corrupted life force initiates a slow change in its body, causing it to animate as a crypt spawn at the next sunset. If the creature's remains are destroyed, the *undeath after death* spell cannot bring it back as an undead. #### Waves of Exhaustion *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (60-foot cone) - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Every creature within the spell effect must succeed on a Constitution saving throw. It gains 1d4 levels of exhaustion on a failure, or 1 level on a success. These levels last for the duration, at which time they expire. #### Withering Palm *7th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Druid, Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous You touch one creature and force it to make a Constitution saving throw. It takes 10d10 necrotic damage on a failure, or half on a success. Also on a failure, it has disadvantage on any saving throw that uses Strength or Constitution until it finishes a long rest. \page
### 8th Level #### Avascular Mass *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute *You shoot a black ray of necromantic energy from your outstretched hand, causing your foe to violently purge blood vessels through its skin. The purged blood vessels spread outward, creating a many-layered mass of bloody, adhesive tissue that traps nearby creatures in a gory horror.* A crackling black ray springs from your pointing finger to a creature that you can see within range. A creature targeted by this spell must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 10d6 + 40 force damage and is stunned until the start of your next turn, or half as much damage and no other effects on a success. In either case, the avascular mass instantaneously erupts from the subject and must be anchored to at least two opposed points—such as floor and ceiling or opposite walls—or else the mass collapses and has no effect. Creatures caught within a 20-foot-radius avascular mass become entangled. The original target of the spell is automatically restrained. Because the avascular mass is magically animate and gradually tightens on those it holds, an entangled character who attempts to cast a spell must make a spellcasting ability check against your spell save DC or lose the spell. Anyone within 20 feet of the primary target when the spell is cast must make a Dexterity save. If this save succeeds, the creature is not stuck in the avascular mass and is free to act, though moving might be a problem (see below). If the save fails, the creature is restrained. Each creature that starts its turn in the mass or that enters it during its turn must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is restrained as long as it remains in the mass or until it breaks free. A creature restrained by the writhing blood vessels can use its action to make a Strength cheek against your spell save DC. If it succeeds, it is no longer restrained. A free creature can progress through the writhing blood vessels very slowly. A creature moving through the area must spend 10 feet of movement for every 1 foot it moves. If you have at least 5 feet of avascular mass between you and an opponent, it provides half cover. If you have at least 20 feet of avascular mass between you, it provides three-fourths cover. When the duration ends, it becomes so much limp, decaying tissue. #### Blackfire *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a pinch of dust from a vampire destroyed by sunlight) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute *With the dark words still on your tongue, a ray of black energy springs from your hand to wrap the indicated target in black flames that absorb heat rather than create it. The black fire crackles and hisses, emanating the smells of hot metal and sulfur.* You must succeed on a ranged spell attack to strike a target. On a successful attack, a target is engulfed in chill black flames that feed on the fuel of their victim's life force. A creature engulfed in blackfire must make a successful Constitution save each round that the spell is in effect or have its Constitution score reduced by 1d4 points and become poisoned until the start of its next turn. While poisoned in this way, it is incapacitated. A creature that makes its Constitution save takes no Constitution reduction for that round and is poisoned until the start of its next turn instead. In addition to its effects on the subject, blackfire can spread rapidly. Whenever a creature starts its turn within 5 feet of a creature engulfed in blackfire, it must succeed on a Dexterity save or become engulfed itself. Any creature that has its Constitution reduced to 0 or lower by the spell is turned into a pile of black ash and can be returned to life only by *true resurrection* or *wish*. If a creature succeeds on its Constitution saving throw 3 times, whether or not consecutively, the blackfire affecting it gutters out. The black flames cannot otherwise be extinguished by normal means (such as immersion in water or smothering), but *antimagic field*, a successful *dispel magic*, *remove curse*, or *greater restoration* snuffs it out. As well, a creature protected by *sheltered vitality* has immunity to blackfire's effects. The ability reductions from this spell last until the target finishes a long rest. #### Bodak's Glare *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a black onyx gem worth at least 500 gp) - **Duration:** Instantaneous *You invoke the powers of deep darkness and your eyes vanish, looking like holes in the universe itself.* Upon completion of the spell, you target a creature within range that can see you. It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 18d10 necrotic damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, it dies. A humanoid killed by this spell rises in 24 hours as a free-willed bodak (if it was CR 3 or lower) unless it has been resurrected in the meantime. A living, corporeal creature that is not a construct, ooze, plant, or undead and is at least CR 4 rises as a free-willed bodak creature (see the Templates section) unless it has been resurrected in the meantime. \page
#### Darkstaff *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a small piece of dark wood) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You create a shadowy staff composed of negative energy with highly variable effects. Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, roll 1d100 on the adjacent table. Until the spell ends, you can make the attack again on each of your turns as an action. | Roll | Effect | |:----:|:-------------| | 1-25 | 3d10 necrotic damage and you regain hit points equal to the amount of necrotic damage dealt | | 26-50 | 4d10 necrotic damage and you regain hit points equal to the amount of necrotic damage dealt | | 51-75 | 5d10 necrotic damage and you regain hit points equal to the amount of necrotic damage dealt, and the target's maximum hit points is reduced by the damage dealt | | 76-90 | 7d10 necrotic damage and you regain hit points equal to the amount of necrotic damage dealt, and the target's maximum hit points is reduced by the damage dealt | | 91-99 | 9d10 necrotic damage and you regain hit points equal to the amount of necrotic damage dealt, and the target's maximum hit points is reduced by the damage dealt | | 00 | The target is reduced to 0 hit points and you regain hit points equal to its maximum HP, gaining the excess as temporary hit points. | **Special:** You can spend 2 sorcery points when you hit to roll twice and take the higher roll. #### Death Pact *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___+ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a diamond worth at least 1,000 gp, which the spell consumes) - **Duration:** Permanent until triggered *With the last words of power, you make the convert's oath binding and ensure your deity's aid when the worst befalls his new servant.* This spell allows one willing creature you touch to enter into a binding agreement with your deity, or with another mighty power, that brings the target back to life if it is slain. When this spell is caste, the subject's Constitution is permanently lowered by 2 points. *Greater restoration* cannot cure this loss. In exchange for this, if the subject should die, a *resurrection* spell is immediately cast upon the subject. However, the resurrected creature does not regain the 2 Constitution points when returned to life. If the spell is dispelled before the subject dies, it does not regain its lost Constitution points. A *wish* spell can return the lost Constitution, but only after the death pact has been activated or dispelled. #### Detoxify *8th-level abjuration* ___ (Cleric, Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (60-foot radius) - **Components:** V, S, M (an antimony goblet worth at least 100 gp) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You detoxify any sort of venom within 60 feet of you. A poisoned creature suffers no additional effects from the poison, and any effects are ended, but the spell does not reverse instantaneous effects, such as hit point damage. This effect is instantaneous; no immunity to later poisoning is conveyed by the spell. Any venomous creature within range must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, its poison is rendered harmless for 1 hour. Any poison in the air, in food, on weapons or traps, or otherwise in the radius of the spell is instantaneously neutralized. #### Devastate Undead *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous This spell was created by the lich Larloch to power himself at the expense of his own undead minions. Choose any number of undead under your control within range. All undead you choose are destroyed. You absorb the life force of your minions, gaining temporary hit points equal to all of the hit points of the undead you destroyed combined. #### Eternal Repose *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a chunk of amber with an insect) - **Duration:** Permanent You touch a corpse, encasing it in translucent amber. This amber is supernaturally hard, and cannot be destroyed by hand. *Dispel magic* works only if cast as an 8th-level or higher spell. A creature encased in the amber is immune to decay. It cannot be *resurrected* while within the amber, nor can it become undead. If the amber is destroyed, the creature is released and begins decaying again as normal. \page
#### General of Undeath *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 24 hours This mighty spell was created by an ancient lich. For the duration, all undead with Int 6 or lower within 300 feet follow your commands automatically. If two casters both cast this spell and their auras overlap, they must each make a Charisma check. The orders of the winner of this check supercede those of the loser. #### Heart of Stone *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 hour - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a carved stone heart of exceptional quality (jade, obsidian, or gold-veined marble) worth 5,000 gp) - **Duration:** 1 year *You feel a hard shove from within your chest as you finally complete the complicated phrases and intricate motions of this taxing spell. Sweat beads on your forehead and your breath comes shallow and fast. The rhythmic rush of sound in your ears that usually accompanies such heavy physical exertion is disquietingly absent.* You exchange your own living heart for a finely crafted heart of perfect, unblemished stone, altering the nature of your body. Your living heart can be stored or hidden anywhere you like, where it continues to beat for the duration of the spell. While under the effect of *heart of stone*, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine, and resistance to cold, fire, and lightning damage. However, you are subject to the following disadvantages: - Your rate of natural healing slows to only 1/4 your hit points per long rest. - Magical healing works on you only if the caster succeeds on a DC 15 spellcasting ability check - In addition, your own living heart is susceptible to attack; if it is damaged or destroyed, you are instantly slain. *Heart of stone* can be dispelled, in which case your living heart instantly returns to its proper place while the stone heart is transported to the place where you left your heart. Your heart and the stone heart likewise switch places if you enter an *antimagic field* (temporarily negating the spell's effects), but the spell resumes when you leave it. In addition, your own living heart is susceptible to attack; if it is damaged or destroyed, you are instantly slain. #### Mantle of Pure Spite *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a smidgen of your spit) - **Duration:** 10 minutes By means of this spell, you wrap yourself in a pulsating nimbus of netherlight—the mystical aggregate of all your unresolved frustration and rage. Anyone foolish enough to attack you while this nimbus is in effect is in for a most unpleasant surprise. Each time you are damaged, you gain mighty power over your attacker. First, this spell grants you advantage on all attack rolls against that foe for the duration of the spell. Second, you gain the ability to overcome any damage resistance your opponent might have. Last but not least, after you take damage from an opponent, you gain resistance against all damage that opponent does for the duration of the spell. If you are fighting multiple opponents, you must keep track of who has struck you. A *mantle of pure spite* provides its benefits even at range, so a wizard launching harmful spells at you from what it thinks is a safe distance will still kindle the *mantle of pure spite*’s nimbus and experience its spiteful reprisals. #### Mass Death Ward *8th-level abjuration* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 8 hours You choose any number of creatures within range, and grant them a measure of protection from death. The first time a target would drop to 0 hit points as a result of taking damage, the target instead drops to 1 hit point, and the spell ends on that creature. If the spell is still in effect on a creature when the creature is subjected to an effect that would kill it instantaneously without dealing damage, that effect is instead negated against the target, and the spell ends on that creature. #### Mass Sheltered Vitality *8th-level abjuration* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer, Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a carved jade heart worth at least 200 gp) - **Duration:** 1 hour You choose any number of creatures within range, and grant them all immunity to having their ability scores and max hit points reduced for the duration of the spell. \page
#### Plague *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 7 days and see text Choose any number of creatures within range. All creatures become afflicted with a disease of your choice (you must choose one disease for the whole spell). At the end of each of the target's turns, it makes a Constitution save. If it fails three times, the disease's effects last for the duration. If it succeeds three times, it recovers from the disease and the spell ends. A creature suffers no ill effects from the disease until it has failed 3 times. Since this spell induces a natural disease, any effect that deals with disease applies to this spell. - **Blinding Sickness:** The target has disadvantage on Wisdom checks and saves, and is blinded. - **Filth Fever:** The target has disadvantage on Strength checks, saves, and attack rolls that use Strength. - **Flesh Rot:** The target has disadvantage on Charisma checks and is vulnerable to all damage. - **Seizure:** The target has disadvantage on Dexterity checks, saves, and attack rolls that use Dexterity. - **Mindfire:** The target has disadvantage on Intelligence checks and saves, and during combat it acts as if it's under the effects of Confusion. - **Slimy Doom:** The target has disadvantage on Constitution checks and saves. Additionally, when it takes damage, it is stunned until the end of its next turn. When a creature touches one of the afflicted creatures, it must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or contract the disease as if the spell had been cast upon it. It still has to fail 3 more times to become infected. Each individual creature carries the disease for 7 days, but the spell can continue to spread long after you cast it. #### Renewal Pact *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a topaz worth at least 500 gp, which the spell consumes) - **Duration:** Permanent until triggered *Calling upon your deity to aid your ally, you bind a protective spell to your friend, leaving a tattoolike mark of your deity's holy symbol on his skin.* This spell remains dormant until the subject receives one of the conditions cured by the *panacea* spell, at which time it immediately activates. This spell grants the recipient the benefit of a *panacea* spell upon activation. #### Return *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, M (a black diamond worth at least 5,000 gp, which the spell consumes) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You shout a key phrase or scriptural passage, often "Go back! Go back! Thou shalt steal no further hours of life!". All creatures within range that have ever died and been returned to life (or unlife) by any means must make a Constitution saving throw. They take 10d6 radiant and 10d6 necrotic damage on a failure, or half on a success. A creature killed by this damage can never be brought back to life by any mortal magic. #### Soul Link *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a star of rare ink painted upon the ground, with as many points as members are linking hands worth at least 250 gp, consumed) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour You and up to six willing creatures who link hands in a circle bind your lifeforce into one collective body. Add your maximum hit points together; this is the collective's maximum hit points. Add your current hit points together; this is the collective's starting hit points. Temporary hit points are not added together, and remain attached to the owner. For the duration, as long as there is at least 1 hit point in the collective, none of you fall unconscious. However, as soon as the collective hits 0, all of you fall unconscious, and must start making your respective death saving throws. While the spell lasts, keep track of the hit point change from the starting hit points. When the spell ends, each member returns to their previous hit points, minus any loss (shared collectively), plus any healing (also shared collectively). You can dismiss this spell as an action. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast as a 9th-level spell, the duration is concentration, up to 8 hours. \page
#### Steal Life *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a drop of blood taken from a vampire) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes You can only cast this spell on desecrated ground or the area of a *hallow* spell. You tap into the life force of a subject and drain it away, adding it to your own. One creature within range must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the spell takes effect. The creature can choose to fail if it wants. When you cast this spell, and at the start of each of your turns while the spell lasts, you can remove one point from the one of the target's ability scores. Although you can choose which ability score to drain, you must choose a different ability score to drain in each round and cannot choose a score already drained until you have drained all the others equally, at which point the process starts over. Thus, if you drain 1 point of Strength, you must choose another ability in the next round and cannot choose Strength again until you have drained 1 point each of Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Then, you can drain a second point of Strength (or any other ability), but not a third until you have drained a second point from all the other ability scores. Reductions to scores last until the target receives a *greater restoration* spell or similar magic. If the target's Strength or Dexterity is reduced to 0, it is paralyzed until it regains at least 1 point. If the target's Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is reduced to 0, it is stunned until it gains at least 1 point. If the target's Constitution is reduced to 0, it dies and becomes a horrid, dry husk. If you cast this spell on the night of a full moon, you become effectively one week younger for every point you drain. (Your age is reduced, but memories and abilities acquired during that week are not lost.) Otherwise, the subject takes the ability score drain, but you gain nothing. If you die while concentrating on this spell, all the subject's lost ability score points are immediately regained. #### Sterilize Water *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Druid, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Permanent With this spell, you cause a pond, water hole, or small lake to become poisoned and dead. The water appears unnaturally clear and pristine, as no plant life or animals of any kind can grow or live in it. Creatures drinking from it will notice that it tastes acrid, and that dead animals litter its banks. Anyone of 10 or fewer hit points who drinks at least a pint of water from the poisoned lake dies as if by *Vecna's malevolent whisper*. This spell cannot be dispelled with *dispel magic*, but *hallow* or *druid's grove* end it. #### Surelife *8th-level abjuration* ___ (Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (an ointment of peach syrup and cinnabar) - **Duration:** 10 minutes This spell protects you against some condition—such as being immersed in boiling oil or buried under an avalanche—that would ordinarily cause damage or even certain death. You can protect yourself only against a natural occurrence or nonmagical condition, not against a spell or the action of a creature (such as the breath of a dragon or the swords of a group of bandits). At the time of the casting, you must specify the condition against which you wish to protect yourself, and the spell is effective against only that condition. Should you be subjected to that condition during the duration of the spell, you feel no discomfort and take no damage from the condition. The spell does not protect any items you carry. If you are still subject to the condition at the end of the spell's duration, you experience its full normal effects. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast as a 9th-level spell, the duration is 1 hour. #### Touch of the Graveborn *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute Your hand grows numb and pulses with a deep and sickly radiance, the chill of the grave emanating from it. Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, the target takes 10d6 necrotic damage, and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, its Strength score is reduced by 1d6. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. If the reduction reduces the creature's Strength to 0, it is paralyzed until it regains at least 1 point of Strength. Until the spell ends, you can make the attack again on each of your turns as an action. Undead do not suffer either of the above effects, but an undead creature hit by this spell must make a Wisdom saving throw or be affected as if you had cast *control undead* upon it until the spell ends. You can only control a single undead in this way; if you gain control of another, you must relinquish control of the first. \page
#### Wave of Pain *8th-level necromancy* ___ (Bard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute - **Components:** S, M (a needle) Each creature of your choice within 30 feet must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it becomes incapacitated with excruciating pain for the duration of the spell and has its speed reduced to 0 while incapacitated in this way. Creatures with no discernible anatomy, or those that do not feel pain, are immune to this spell. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast as a 9th-level spell, this spell also makes the creatures stunned for the duration. ### 9th Level #### Anathema *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 hour - **Range:** Unlimited - **Duration:** Permanent - **Components:** V, S, M (a beautifully bound book worth at least 10,000 gp, where the subject's name and crimes are inscribed) You can permanently break the divine link between your deity and a lower-level divine caster of your faith, or upon a common worshiper. Your target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it suffers the effects of this spell. The spell has no effect on spellcasters of a faith other than your own. You can pronounce an *anathema* upon any character of your faith, no matter where it is, even if on a different plane. You cannot pronounce an *anathema* against someone who is already dead. Some deities do not allow an *anathema* to be pronounced against the innocent or against their chosen, while others grant their high-level clerics free use of this most terrible of divine curses. An individual under *anathema* can no longer cast divine spells or call upon the power of its god to turn or command undead, heal, harm, smite, shape change, or use any other divine power associated with its character class. An ordinary worshiper placed under *anathema* is not allowed to take advantage of any of the faith’s services, such as healing, naming, marrying, or burial of the dead. Anyone who dies while under *anathema* is barred from entry into its deity’s plane and goes to the plane it would go to as if it were not a worshipper. In many settings, that means the plane most in line with its alignment. On a more personal level, the *anathema* spell marks the subject as accursed with regard to others of the faith. They are not allowed to speak to it, look at it, or even acknowledge its existence. The common members of the faith are only aware that the subject is under *anathema* if so informed by the church hierarchy; however, divine spellcasters of the faith can automatically detect an *anathema* effect simply by looking at the subject. The effect is permanent until lifted, either by the original spellcaster, or by a cleric of the same faith, of an equal or higher level than the caster, who casts a *greater restoration* spell upon the subject. The subject of an *anathema* can also remove its effect by changing the deity it worships. *Dispel magic* or *remove curse* are only effective if cast as 9th-level spells. #### Demise Unseen *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous You attempt to snuff out the lifeforce of a creature within range. It must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 10d6 + 40 necrotic damage. On a success, it takes no ill effects, and may not even be aware it was targeted. If this damage reduces it to 0 hit points, it instantly dies, and it immediately rises as a **gravetouched ghoul** if the template can be applied to it. It is also magically disguised to appear exactly as it did in life, and it will almost always keep its new condition a secret as long as possible. The ghoul is charmed by you for 30 days or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. When the charmed condition ends, the ghoul chooses whether to remain friendly to you, based on how you treated it while it was charmed. #### Dragon's Teeth *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (five dragon teeth) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour Tossing the dragon's teeth to the ground, they spring up as five fully-formed **giant skeletons** (Tales from the Yawning Portal). These skeletons gain a bonus to their attack and damage rolls equal to your spellcasting ability modifier. You can use a bonus action to mentally command the creatures you make with this spell, issuing the same command to all of them. To receive the command, a creature must be within 60 feet of you. You decide what action the creatures will take and where they will move during their next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a chamber or passageway against your foes. If you issue no commands, the creatures do nothing except defend themselves against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creatures continue to follow it until their task is complete. The creatures are under your control until the spell ends, after which they become inanimate once more. \page
#### Familial Geas *9th-level enchantment* ___ (Bard, Cleric, Druid, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Until removed This spell is a far more potent version of *geas*. You place a magical command on a creature that you can see within range, forcing it to carry out some service or refrain from some action or course of activity as you decide. If the creature can understand you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by you for the duration. While the creature is charmed by you, it takes 5d10 psychic damage each time it acts in a manner directly counter to your instructions, but no more than once each day. A creature that can’t understand you is unaffected by the spell. You can issue any command you choose, short of an activity that would result in certain death. Should you issue a suicidal command, the spell ends. If the target dies before completing the obligation, the geas transfers to their closest adult relative. This new subject is entitled to a save; if the new target succeeds, the geas is broken and the spell ends. If not, they labor under the geas until they either complete the obligation, succeed in dispelling the geas, or dies and potentially passes the geas to their closest adult relative. Each new subject has an instinctive understanding of the nature of the obligation. You can end the spell early by using an action to dismiss it. A *wish* spell also ends it. #### Forceful Resurrection *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (an onyx encased in a ruby, a rare find worth 100,000 gp, consumed) - **Duration:** Instantaneous A spell so forbidden that even the most depraved souls carefully consider its worth, *forceful resurrection* surpasses the will of gods and men, raising a creature from the dead, even against that creature’s will. You chant over the creature’s corpse (undead are unaffected; if cast on a slain undead, this spell returns the creature to mortal life), and upon completion, the creature returns to life no matter how long it has been dead. The creature’s hit points may be at 1 hp or full (your choice), but the target only has access to any equipment at hand. The creature is not inherently under any obligation to follow your commands. At your option, this spell can close all wounds, neutralize any poison, cure all diseases, and lift any curses affecting the creature when it died. The spell replaces damaged or missing organs and limbs. The spell can even provide a new body if the original no longer exists, in which case you must speak the creature’s name. The creature then appears in an unoccupied space you choose within 10 feet of you. This spell comes with certain dangers. While interfering with life and death is not an inherently evil action, this spell defies the natural order and usurps the will of the gods of death. The gods may send agents after the caster or target to ensure the universe lies in balance, and maruts are certain to take an interest in them both. Clerics are especially victimized in the afterlife, should they inappropriately use this spell. #### Hero's Blade *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Druid) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, M (something dear to the soul you're summoning) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes You channel the spirit of a mighty hero or villain of old into a weapon. For the duration of the spell, the weapon gains the following benefits to its wielder. You can suppress the benefits (no action required), which you may wish to do if it is taken from you: - The weapon becomes magical if it wasn't already. - The weapon deals 2d10 damage of a type of the wielder's choice on a hit. The wielder can change the type with a bonus action. - The wielder adds 1d8 to their initiative rolls as long as it wields the weapon. - The wielder has immunity to being charmed or frightened as long as it wields the weapon. - The wielder has truesight out to a range of 30 feet while it wields the weapon. - The weapon scores a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. - If the weapon scores a critical hit on a creature to a different plane of existence than the one you’re on, that creature must make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, the target is banished with a faint popping noise, returning to its home plane. \page
#### Hide Life *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 day - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a small sickle made of the purest silver, which you use to detach the body part to be stored, and a black opal worth at least 5,000 gp. The opal is consumed) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You isolate your life force in one single part of your body-typically the little finger on the left hand. You can then remove this part and store it in some safe place. Once the spell takes effect, you can no longer be killed by ordinary means: If damage or a spell effect would normally reduce you to 0 hit points, you ignore the usual effects. You still drop to 0 hit points, but you do not fall unconscious. Instead, you are incapacitated until you receive hit points rise above 0. If you would die, you are stunned until you receive magical healing. If the hidden body part is ever destroyed, the spell is broken and your life force returns to your body if you would not otherwise be dead. #### Horrible Army of the Dead *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 600 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (the powder of a crushed black pearl worth at least 5,000 gp) - **Duration:** Instantaneous A sphere of negative energy ripples out in a 120-foot-radius sphere from a point within range. Each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw. A target takes 8d6 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A humanoid reduced to 0 hit points by this spell immediately dies and rises as a **zombie** or **skeleton** (your choice). Undead created by this spell are free-willed. #### Imprison Soul *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action; see text - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a fingernail, hair, or other small portion of the target's body, consumed; and a specially prepared container to house the soul) - **Duration:** Permanent; see text By casting *imprison soul*, you force one creature within range to make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, you place the subject's soul in a receptacle, such as a gem, ring, or some other miniscule object, leaving its body lifeless. While trapped, the subject loses 1d4 points of Constitution per day until it reaches 0 (at which point it dies) or it is freed. This Constitution can be restored by *greater restoration.* The rituals to prepare the receptacle require three days. Destroying or opening the receptacle ends the spell, releasing the soul. To cast the spell, you must know the name of the target. You must be touching the receptacle while casting the spell. A *dispel magic* spell can end the spell only if it is cast as a 9th-level spell, targeting either the receptacle or the creature's body. #### Kissed by the Ages *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 hour - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a magic ring of Rare rarity or higher) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You create a magical connection between a willing, living creature other than yourself and a magic ring of Rare rarity or higher. This forever eliminates any of the item's existing magical properties and causes it to radiate a strong aura of necromancy. The recipient of the spell may draw upon the strange, inanimate resilience of this object, gaining the endless trait (see below) so long as they wear it. If they lose or otherwise remove this object, however, they begins to age again at the rate normal for their race. This continues until the bonded creature regains the ring. The connection the creature enjoys with this object makes it all but impossible to destroy while they live, requiring the intervention of a deity, contact with an artifact, or similarly unusual circumstances to smash it. Due to their special connection with it, the recipient of the spell always knows the approximate location of their object so long as both are on the same plane. ***Endless.*** A creature with this trait ceases to age once it achieves a certain point in its life cycle, most often sometime after reaching adulthood but prior to its equivalent of middle age. These creatures exist in a special kind of physiological stasis, counteracting all the consequences of advancing years that usually lead to frailty and eventually death. While they must still perform all the necessary sustaining actions (eating, sleeping, breathing, and so on) normally demanded of their type, they never suffer from any sort of physical deterioration \page
#### Mass Harm *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous Roll 70d12. This is your pool of necrotic damage. You can distribute it as you wish within range, but cannot give more than half to a single creature. All creatures you give necrotic energy to must make Constitution saving throws. On a failure, they take the necrotic damage you allocated, or half of it on a successful Constitution saving throw. The damage can’t reduce any creature’s hit points below 1. If the target fails the saving throw, its hit point maximum is reduced for 1 hour by an amount equal to the necrotic damage it took. Any effect that removes a disease allows a creature’s hit point maximum to return to normal before that time passes. #### Plague of Undead *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Cleric, Dread Necromancer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (60 foot radius) - **Components:** V, S, M (a black sapphire worth 100 gp or several black sapphires with total value of 100 gp.) - **Duration:** Instantaneous This spell unleashes great necromantic power, raising a host of undead creatures. *Plague of undead* turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures within the spell’s range into undead skeletons or zombies with maximum hit points. The undead remain animated until destroyed. These undead remain under your control for 24 hours. #### Raise City *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 24 hours - **Range:** Special - **Components:** V, S, M (a collection of items from the ruined settlement worth at least 5,000 gp, which the spell consumes) - **Duration:** Instantaneous *In the ancient city of Mires Ford it is said he made his last stand against the armies massed against him. The city had fallen centuries before to a demonic plague during a great siege, and since then none had travelled there until that final battle. In the last hours of the war, it is said that all the dead behind those ancient walls stood up and took arms in the defense of Gar'Udok...* There are few spells more powerful in the necromancer's repertoire than the ability to raise an entire civilization from death. From the ruins of an ancient town or city, you will cause skeletons to claw their way out of the ground, to rise up in perfect servitude to your every demand. You must be upon the site of a ruined and deserted settlement to cast this spell successfully. Complete skeletons are not required for the use of this powerful spell (scattered dust and bones are just fine) but no sentient creature must have lived within the settlement for at least 50 years. Once cast, a number of skeletons will animate in accordance with the size of the settlement as it was when it was inhabited. See the table below. The skeletons are under your complete, permanent control, although effects such as *Control undead* can wrest them away from you. One you cast this spell, you can never cast it again in the same spot. The skeletons are unable to venture further than 25 miles from the settlement. Any ordered to do will instantly crumble to dust and be destroyed | Town Size | Population | |:----:|:-------------| | Thorp | 20-80 | | Hamlet | 81-400 | | Village | 401-900 | | Small Town | 901-2000 | | Large Town | 2001-5000 | | Small City | 5001-12000 | | Large City | 12001-25000 | | Metropolis | 25001+ | \page
#### Skyrift *9th-level illusion* ___ (Warlock) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 hour - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a scepter of onyx and obsidian worth no less than 5,000 gp and an obsidian stele worth 2,500 gp. The scepter is consumed) - **Duration:** Permanent *Skyrift* cloaks a large circular region with a radius of one mile in eternal night. The focal point of this region must be an obsidian stele of at least 10 feet in height carved with arcane runes by the caster. Once the spell is cast, the sun never seems to rise in the region. The affected area is either dark or lit with shadowy light, depending on the conditions outside. For example, the area has shadowy light when the sun is up on a clear day. Artificial light sources work normally within the affected area. Creatures and magical effects that rely upon night to work can function at all times in an area that a *skyrift* cloaks. Likewise, beings and objects that sunlight harms can exist with comfort anywhere in a *skyrift* at any time of day. This spell may be cast in outdoor areas only, although its area can contain structures provided they are wholly within the area affected. Viewed from outside, a region blanketed under a *skyrift* seems to be dark and gloomy, as if on an overcast day late in the afternoon. This spell can only be dispelled with *dispel magic* cast at 9th level. #### Undead Creation *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer) ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a black onyx worth at least 1000gp) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You create one undead of CR 20 or less from an appropriate corpse. The creature must immediately make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or be destroyed, and be rendered unfit for further reanimation. So while you could not create a skeletal dragon from a humanoid, you could create it from a dragon's bones. If your casting is interrupted, you must make a 20 Constitution saving throw or be blasted to dust and instantly destroyed, as if by a *disintegrate* spell. This undead is not under your control and acts as it pleases. Some undead cannot be created in this way, such as necropolitans, death knights, and (vassa)liches. The DM is the final arbiter of whether an undead creature can be created by this spell. > ##### DM's Note: Undead Creation > > This is a powerful spell, even for a 9th level one. You may wish to restrict it to not being cast more than once a month, or only allow it to be cast on auspicious times of the year (such as the winter solstice, or Mabar being coterminous). #### Wail of the Banshee *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (30-foot radius) - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Instantaneous You let loose a terrible scream. All living creatures within 30 feet of you except you that can hear you must make a Constitution saving throw. Those that fail drop to 0 hit points. Those that succeed take 3d6 psychic damage. You cannot cast this spell if you are in sunlight. Undead and constructs are immune to this spell. > ##### DM's Note: Wail of the Banshee > > This spell is based on the banshee's own ability. However, if you find that too powerful, an alternative version is presented. #### Wail of the Banshee V2 *9th-level necromancy* ___ (Dread Necromancer, Sorcerer, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (30-foot radius) - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Instantaneous You let loose a terrible scream. All living creatures within 30 feet of you except you that can hear you must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 40d6 psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this effect dies instantly. You cannot cast this spell if you are in sunlight. Undead and constructs are immune to this spell. \page
## Unusual Spells ### Cyst Spells The following spells all deal with necrotic cysts. All of them besides Necrotic Awareness require the caster to have the Mother Cyst feat in the next section; even abilities like the bard's Magical Secrets don't work without that feat. Aside from Necrotic Awareness, they are not on any spell lists by default. A caster who gains that feat treats them as if they were on their list and always has them prepared. #### Necrotic Awareness *1st-level necromancy (ritual)* ___ (Cleric, Wizard) ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes For the duration, you know if there is a creature bearing a necrotic cyst or mother cyst within 30 feet of you, as well as where it is. The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt. #### Necrotic Bloat *3rd-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (caster must have a mother cyst) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You cause the cyst of a subject already harboring a necrotic cyst (see spell of the same name) to pulse and swell. This agitation of the necrotic cyst tears living tissue and expands the size of the cyst, dealing massive internal damage to the subject. The subject takes 4d10 points of necrotic damage. This damage is considered vile damage because the cyst expands to envelop the newly necrotized tissue. The cyst is reduced to its original size when the vile damage is healed. A subject killed by this spell rises as a free-willed skulking cyst at the start of your next turn. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 3rd. #### Necrotic Cyst *2nd-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (caster must have a mother cyst) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You touch a creature, forcing it to make a Constitution saving throw. A creature can choose to fail this save. On a successful save, the subject suffers no adverse affects. On a failed save, the subject develops an internal spherical sac that contains fluid or semisolid necrotic flesh. The internal cyst is noticeable as a slight bulge on the subject’s arm, abdomen, or face (wherever you chose to touch the target) or it is buried deeply enough in the flesh of your target that it is not immediately obvious—the subject may not realize what was implanted within them. From now on, undead foes and necromantic magic are particularly debilitating to the subject—the cyst enables a sympathetic response between free-roaming external undead and itself. Whenever the subject is dealt damage by a necromancy spell, or by the attack of an undead (claw, bite, or other attack form), it takes an additional die of damage. You can take an action to know the direction of any cyst you have created that remains on the same plane as you, but you do not know the distance to it. If it is on a different plane, you know this fact but not which plane. Victims who possess necrotic cysts may elect to have some well-meaning chirurgeon remove them surgically. The procedure is a bloody, painful process that incapacitates the subject for 1 hour on a successful DC 20 Medicine check, and deals 4d10 slashing damage with an unsuccessful Medicine check. The procedure takes 1 hour. *Protection from good and evil* or a similar spell prevents the necrotic cyst from forming. Once a necrotic cyst is implanted, spells that manipulate the cyst and its bearer are no longer thwarted by *protection from evil*. Creatures without flesh are immune to this spell. You can cause any cyst you have created to harmlessly wither to nothing as an action. #### Necrotic Domination *4th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (caster must have a mother cyst) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour You attempt to beguile a humanoid that you can see within range that has a necrotic cyst (see the *necrotic cyst* spell). It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for the duration. If you or creatures that are friendly to you are fighting it, it has advantage on the saving throw. While the target is charmed, you have a telepathic link with it as long as the two of you are on the same plane of existence. You can use this telepathic link to issue commands to the creature while you are conscious (no action required), which it does its best to obey. You can specify a simple and general course of action, such as attack that creature, run over there, or fetch that object. If the creature completes the order and doesn't receive further direction from you, it defends and preserves itself to the best of its ability. You can use your action to take total and precise control of the target. Until the end of your next turn, the creature takes only the actions you choose, and doesn't do anything that you don't allow it to do. During this time you can also cause the creature to use a reaction, but this requires you to use your own reaction as well. Each time the target takes damage, it makes a new Wisdom saving throw against the spell. If the saving throw succeeds, the spell ends. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a 6th-level spell slot, the duration is concentration, up to 8 hours. When you use a 8th-level spell slot, the duration is concentration, up to 24 hours. \page
#### Necrotic Empowerment *8th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (caster must have a mother cyst) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You call upon the mother cyst that your body hosts, drawing from it strength, vigor, speed, and vicious certainty. While the spell is in effect, you gain advantage on all checks and saves. If you are wearing no armor, your AC equals 15 + your Dexterity bonus as your skin briefly crusts and hardens. You also gain 100 temporary hit points that vanish when the spell ends. While the empowerment lasts, you are unable to cast any other spell that requires a mother cyst. #### Necrotic Eruption *6th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (caster must have a mother cyst) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You cause the cyst of a subject already harboring a necrotic cyst (see spell of the same name) to explosively enlarge itself at the expense of the subject’s body tissue. This spell deals 7d10 necrotic damage. This damage is vile damage. If this damage kills the target, all creatures within 20 feet of it take 3d10 necrotic damage, or half on a failed Constitution saving throw. Also on a failed saving throw, a creature caught in the blast gains its own necrotic cyst. A subject killed by this spell rises as a free-willed skulking cyst at the start of your next turn. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, both the initial and the explosion damage increase by 1d10 for each slot level above 6th. #### Necrotic Probe *5th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (caster must have a mother cyst) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes You can concentrate upon a specific individual who you believe to bear a necrotic cyst (see spell of the same name), and listen in on its thoughts. Distance is not a factor, but the spell fails if the individual no longer bears the cyst or if the cyst bearer is no longer on the plane of existence you are currently occupying. While the spell lasts, you can hear everything the target thinks, as if you were using a *detect thoughts* spell. As an action while the spell lasts, you can also delve deep into the target's mind for specific facts, memories, or other information. You can ask one question and instantly receive a complete, honest, accurate answer. You can attempt to implant a *suggestion* into the target. It must make a Wisdom save. On a failure, the *suggestion* takes effect, and lasts for up to 8 hours (no concentration required). #### Necrotic Scrying *2nd-level necromancy* (ritual) ___ - **Casting Time:** 10 minutes - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (caster must have a mother cyst) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes You can concentrate upon a specific individual who you believe to bear a necrotic cyst (see spell of the same name), and hear and see through the creature's eyes and ears. You have access to all of its senses, experiencing things as it does. Distance is not a factor, but the spell fails if the individual no longer bears the cyst or if the cyst bearer is no longer on the plane of existence you are currently occupying. You gain the benefit of any senses the creature posses such as darkvision or blindsight, but are not able to use any of your own. If the creature has senses that you have no equivalent for (such as a intellect devourer's mind sensing), you are able to use those as well, though the feeling may be very alien. You are constrained to the creature's own senses and cannot influence what it looks at. If the creature is asleep with its eyes closed, you probably will not be able to see anything either, and if it is staring at a wall, you won't be able to see anything behind it. Lead sheeting or magical protection (such as *antimagic field, mind blank,* or *nondetection*) blocks the spell, and you sense that the spell is so blocked. #### Necrotic Tumor *7th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (caster must have a mother cyst) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour You cause the cyst of a subject already harboring a necrotic cyst (see spell of the same name) to envelop a portion of the victim's brain. The victim must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the victim is *dominated*, as if by *dominate monster.* If the victim fails its saving throw and you concentrate for the entire duration, the victim becomes permanently charmed by you, and it has disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws made against your spells and effects. You also constantly know its location, even if it is on another plane. Only a *wish* spell can reverse this effect. #### Necrotic Termination *9th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (caster must have a mother cyst) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You cause the cyst of a subject already harboring a necrotic cyst (see spell of the same name) to physically and spiritually enlarge itself at the expense of the subject’s body and soul. The creature takes 25d10 necrotic damage. This damage is vile damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, it is devoured, body and soul. *Raise dead, reincarnate, resurrection, clone, true resurrection, wish,* and even divine intervention cannot return life to the subject once its soul is digested—it is gone forever. A subject killed by this spell rises as a free-willed **skulking cyst** at the start of your next turn. \page
### Wormbound Spells The following spells all deal with worms of Kyuss. All of them require either the Wormbound feat in the next section or to be of the wormspawn tag; even abilities like the bard's Magical Secrets don't work without that feat or tag. A caster who gains that feat treats them as if they were on their list and always has them prepared, while a creature of that tag can learn and prepare them normally. #### Breath of the Apostle *8th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (60-foot cone) - **Components:** V, S, M (a live Kyuss worm or the wormspawn tag) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You vomit up acid like an ulgurstasta. Each creature in the spell's area must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 18d6 acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures killed by this damage rise as **skeletons** immediately and are under your control for 24 hours, after which time they become free-willed. Additionally, 2d4 **skeletons** are hurled out of your mouth and immediately roll initiative. They are under your control for the next 24 hours, after which they become free-willed. #### Consume the Parasite *3rd-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a Kyuss worm hosted within your body, consumed. Creatures with the wormspawn tag merely require a live Kyuss worm, which is consumed) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You consume the Kyuss worm in your own body to grant yourself a temporary boost in power. When you cast this spell, you gain 20 temporary hit points. These temporary hit points expire when the spell's duration ends if they are not lost sooner. In addition, you have advantage on Strength and Dexterity checks and saving throws, and your weapons do an extra 1d4 damage. This spell also increases the power of your spells while it is in effect, causing all spells you cast for the duration to be cast as if by a slot 1 level higher (so a 4th-level *fireball* acts like a 5th-level *fireball*). However, casting this spell consumes the Kyuss worm that you have bound to your soul, and you do not gain the effects of the Wormbound feat until you are able to find another Kyuss worm and complete the ritual of binding once again. ***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the temporary hit points increase by 10 for each slot level above 1st. #### Extrude Wormswarm *7th-level conjuration* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a live Kyuss worm or the wormspawn tag) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You summon a swarm of Kyuss worms to attack your foes. These writhing, twisting green worms swarm over your body briefly and then congregate in a 10-foot-square within range of your choice as a **wormswarm**. If the spell ends, the **wormswarm** acts as it pleases. If you are an undead servant of Kyuss, it automatically follows your orders. If you are a living servant of Kyuss, you must succeed at a Persuasion check contested by its Insight check. If you succeed, it follows your orders. If you fail, it becomes indifferent to you. If you are not a servant of Kyuss, it is automatically hostile. #### Grasping Worms *1st-level conjuration* ___ - **Casting Time** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a live Kyuss worm or the wormspawn tag) - **Duration:** Until dispelled or concentration, up to 1 minute and then until dispelled Disgusting green worms emerge from the ground in 16 5-foot squares within range. Each square must be adjacent to at least one other. These worms turn the ground in the area into difficult terrain that lasts until dispelled. If you are choosing to concentrate on this spell, a creature in the area when you cast the spell must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be restrained by the entangling worms until your concentration ends. A creature restrained by the worms can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC. On a success, it frees itself. A *dispel magic* spell causes the worms to disperse. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you create 4 more 5-foot squares per level above 1st. > ##### The Wormspawn tag > > The wormspawn tag refers to the creatures created by Kyuss and his disciples. The creatures in the table below belong to it. > > The Hounds of Kyuss is the collective name for Kyuss's mssive undead arthropods, such as the eviscerator beetle, mindkiller scorpion, earthcancer centipede, and worldbreaker mantis shrimp. | | | :-------------|:-------------| | Avolakia | Spawn of Kyuss | Broodfiend | Sword of Kyuss | Earthcancer centipede | Ulgurstasta | Eviscerator beetle | Worldbreaker mantis shrimp | Favored spawn of Kyuss | Wormcaller | Kyuss knight | Worm drake | Kyuss spawnling | Worm of Kyuss | Mindkiller scorpion | Worm naga | Nerephtys | Wormswarm | Overworm | Worm that walks | Riftjumper | \page
#### Herald of the Wormgod *9th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 90 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a Kyuss worm hosted within your body, consumed. Creatures with the wormspawn tag merely require a live Kyuss worm, which is consumed) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour You eject the worm from your body, bathing it in necromantic energy and flinging it to a point within range. It immediately grows into a Herald of Kyuss (an **ulgurstasta** with the **evolved undead template**) that is under your control. Instead of skeletons, the ulgurstasta creates and ejects spawn of Kyuss. If the spell ends, the ulgurstasta remains indefinitely and acts as it pleases. If you are an undead servant of Kyuss, it is friendly to you. If you are a living servant of Kyuss, you must succeed at a Persuasion check contested by its Insight check. If you succeed, it is friendly to you. If you fail, it becomes indifferent to you. If you are not a servant of Kyuss, it is automatically hostile. Casting this spell consumes the Kyuss worm that you have bound to your soul, and you do not gain the effects of the Wormbound feat until you are able to find another Kyuss worm and complete the ritual of binding once again. #### Mindworms *4th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a live Kyuss worm or the wormspawn tag) - **Duration:** Instantaneous This spell causes ghostly images of green worms to fly at the target, assailing its body, mind, and soul. It must make a Wisdom saving throw. It takes 2d10 necrotic damage and 2d10 psychic on a failure, or half on a success. Also on a failure, it loses 3 levels worth of spell slots (not including Innate Spellcasting). This could be three 1st-level spells, one 2nd-level and one 1st-level, or one 3rd level. If it has fewer slots than these to lose, it loses what it can. It chooses what types of slots to lose. If it does not have the ability to cast spells, or it does not have any slots of 1st through 3rd left, this effect does not apply. Whenever you successfully drain levels of spells with this effect, you regain levels worth of spell slots in an identical way (if you drained 3 levels, you could regain one 3rd-level, or one 2nd-level and one 1st-level, or three 1st-level). ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the psychic damage increases by 1d10, and both the number of spell levels drained and the max level drainable increase by 1. #### Parasitic Soulworm *5th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a live Kyuss worm or the wormspawn tag) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You target one creature within range. Constructs cannot be affected by this spell. It must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a kind of kyuss worm called soulworm grows inside it. The soulworm spends 1 minute growing to maturity, during which time it is completely useless. The soulworm can be killed if its host is subject to any effect that cures disease or removes a curse. Otherwise, it lives indefinitely. As long as the soulworm exists, you can detect its location flawlessly as an action (assuming magic doesn't block your detection attempts). You can also read the host's thoughts at will as if by a *detect thoughts* spell. You can cause the worm to cast a *suggestion* (no components required) on the host with your spell save DC, but can't do so again until the next dawn. As an action, you can activate the worm, turning it deadly. At the end of each of the host's turns, it takes 2d6 necrotic damage per worm infesting it. If a humanoid dies due to this damage, it rises as a free-willed spawn of Kyuss 10 minutes later. #### Path of Worms *2nd-level divination* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a live Kyuss worm or the wormspawn tag) - **Duration:** 8 hours This spell infuses your own perceptions with a shard of Kyuss' power, granting you a sixth sense. While the spell lasts, you cannot be surprised. Once during the spell's duration, you can grant yourself advantage on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw. Alternatively, you can impose disadvantage on one attack targeting you. Either way, this immediately ends the spell. When you trigger the advantage or disadvantage, every creature within 30 feet is exposed to a glimpse of the writhing madness of prophesied in the Age of Worms. For the merest second, they see within their minds the desolation and ever-increasing terror of what the world will one day become. Every creature affected in this way that does not have the wormspawn tag (including you, most likely) must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it is frightened until the start of your next turn. While frightened in this way, it is stunned. \page
#### Servant of the Green Corruption *6th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a live Kyuss worm or the wormspawn tag) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes You select one willing creature within range. Until the spell ends, the target’s speed is doubled, it gains a +4 bonus to AC, it has advantage on attack rolls, it has advantage on Dexterity saving throws, and it gains an additional action on each of its turns. That action can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action. Once during the spell's duration, it can give itself 3d6 + your spellcasting ability modifier hit points as a bonus action. Kyuss's power never comes at a price, however, as the wormgod constantly seeks to bind mortals to his will and to bring about the long foretold Age of Worms. Because of Kyuss's corrupting influence, the affected creature becomes more susceptible to the powers of Kyuss. The affected creature suffers disadvantage on saving throws against wormbound spells and automatically fails saving throws against the effects and abilities of wormspawn creatures. The spell can also target an unwilling creature, which can make a Wisdom saving throw to resist, negating both the spell's benefits and drawbacks on a success. #### Spirit Worm *2nd-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a live Kyuss worm or the wormspawn tag) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute *You touch your foe and intone the spell. You leave a worm-shaped bruise where you touched.* You create a lingering decay in the spirit and body of one creature you touch. When you cast this spell and as an action on each of your subsequent turns, you can force the target to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw, its Constitution score is reduced by 1. This reduction lasts until it finishes a short or long rest. On a successful saving throw, it takes no Constitution reduction for that turn. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast as a 5th-level spell or higher, you do not need to take a bonus action to force the target to make another Constitution saving throw. You still need to concentrate on the spell. #### The Worm Within *3rd-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a live Kyuss worm or the wormspawn tag - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You create a worm of Kyuss inside a creature within range. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a success, the worm dies with no ill effect. On a failure, the worm takes root and begins consuming the target. At the end of each of its subsequent turns, it takes an additional 2d6 necrotic damage per worm infesting it, stacking with worms from the Spawn of Kyuss (max 10d6). A worm-infested target dies if it drops to 0 hit points, then rises 10 minutes later as a free-willed spawn of Kyuss. If a worm-infested creature is targeted by an effect that cures disease or removes a curse, all the worms infesting it wither away. If you concentrate for the entire duration, the worm remains until it is cured. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast as a 5th or 6th level spell, you create two worms. When cast as a 7th or 8th level spell, you create 3 worms. When cast as a 9th level spell, you create 5 worms. Each worm requires a separate saving throw. >*“Cost? Gold is a cost. Servitude is a cost. My soul is not a cost—or it’s one I don’t mind paying.”* > >—Thavik of Donegan \page
### Corrupt Spells Those who delve into black magic have learned of exceedingly evil spells that, in exchange for foul power, take a terrible toll on the caster. These spells are known as corrupt spells. Their numbers are few, but they are truly horrible applications of magic. These spells can be prepared by any class that prepares spells. A character who does not prepare spells can learn them on level up, or alternatively can permanently gain knowledge of these spells through certain dark rituals (effectively, they are permanently added to the character's spells known, and don't count against that limit.) All of these spells are available to casters of all alignments. However, even learning about them can be difficult, and the DM should feel free to impose whatever quests he or she desires for a character to gain access to these. A spell like *apocalypse from the sky* is a plot point, not a day-to-day spell. Even if your DM has approved this .pdf, please double-check with him or her before taking one of the spells in this section. The corruption cost for a spell is paid when the spell ends, not when it is cast, unless its duration is permanent. A permanent corrupt spell has its cost paid when the spell is cast. See the sidebar below for some additional possible consequences of casting these spells. #### Absorb Mind *3rd-level divination* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (an ounce of a sentient creature's fresh or preserved brain, which the spell consumes) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour You eat part of the brain of another creature's corpse. By doing so, you gain the creature's memories and knowledge to some degree, so that you have a 25% chance of recalling any important fact known to the creature—family history, recent events, the general layout of the creature's stomping grounds, details about the creature's death, important plans, passwords, etc. Skills, feats, spells, and other such knowledge cannot be obtained in this fashion. You cannot roll again after failing to recall a specific piece of information. After the duration expires, you no longer have the ability to recall new facts. *Corruption cost:* Your Wisdom score reduces by 2d6 points. If you drop to 0 Wisdom points, you go insane until you regain at least 1 Wisdom point. The reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. ***At Higher Levels.*** When cast with a 5th-level slot, you have a 50% chance. With 7th, you have 75%. With 9th, 100%. #### Absorb Strength *4th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (an ounce of a creature's fresh or preserved flesh, consumed) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour You eat at least a portion of the flesh of another creature’s corpse, thereby increasing your Strength score by one-quarter of the creature's Strength score for the duration, and increasing your Constitution score by one-quarter of the creature's Constitution score. For example, if you eat a bulette's flesh, your Strength increases by 4 and your Constitution increases by 5 for the duration. *Corruption cost:* Your Wisdom score reduces by 2d6 points. If you drop to 0 Wisdom points, you go insane until you regain at least 1 Wisdom point. The reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. > ##### Corrupt Spell Side Effects > > Corrupt spells are magic mortals were not meant to know, and they can have monstrous results. Some possible additional side effects of casting a corrupt spell include: > > - Every time you cast the spell, roll 1d3. You permanently lose that many hit points. Only a *wish* spell can restore them. > - Every time you cast the spell, roll 1d6. The DM chooses you or one of your allies, and applies the result as a penalty to the victim’s next saving throw. > - Every time you cast the spell, roll 2d6. The DM chooses you or one of your allies and inflicts the result as necrotic damage. The victim's HP is reduced by this amount until it finishes a long rest. > - When you cast the spell, something terrible happens to someone you love. > - When you cast the spell, an innocent creature dies. You have no control over who will suffer and may never know who it is. > - Whenever you cast the spell, plants withers and all creatures within 15 feet suffer 1 point of necrotic damage. > - Any time you cast the spell, roll a d4. On a roll of 1, a hostile fiend or undead of the DM's choice appears within 5 feet of you and will try to harm you and your friends. > - One of your allies suffers half the listed ability reduction. > - After casting the spell, you must make a Charisma saving throw against your own spell save DC. On a failure, you are [possessed](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/H1WT-_qTmX) by a fiend of the DM's choice. \page
#### Apocalypse from the Sky *9th-level conjuration* ___ - **Casting Time:** 24 hours - **Range:** Self (200-mile radius) - **Components:** V, S, M (an artifact, ideally one of good perverted to this use) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You call upon the darkest forces in all existence to rain destruction down upon the land. All creatures and objects in the spell's area take 10d10 points of damage of a type of your choice. This damage is vile damage. This damage typically levels forests, sends mountains tumbling, and wipes out entire populations of living creatures. You are subject to the damage as well as the corruption cost. *Corruption cost:* Your Constitution reduces by 3d6 points, and you die if it is reduced to 0. Otherwise, you regain these points when you finish a long rest. Furthermore, you lose 4d6 points of Wisdom, going insane if it is reduced to 0 until you regain at least 1 point. This reduction can be removed by *greater restoration*, but does not vanish on its own. Even just having this spell prepared reduces your Wisdom by 1d3, which cannot be cured until you no longer have it prepared. #### Call Forth the Beast *4th-level enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (the tongue of an executed murderer) - **Duration:** Permanent until discharged, then 2d4 hours You force one target within range to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, you set up a dark curse within their mind. The target of this spell experiences no immediate effect. The next time it falls asleep, however, they immediately reawaken with a chaotic evil alignment and a bloodthirsty, temperamental, and even psychotic disposition. The subject has no particular goals during this time except to shed blood and slaughter anyone who aggravates or irritates them; even the most innocent action might result in violence. When the spell expires, the subject passes out momentarily, and reawakens with no memory of anything they might have done while under the effect of the spell. So far as they can tell, they simply fell asleep hours earlier, and they have no idea what has happened since then. They have gained no rest, cannot prepare new spells, and might gain one level of exhaustion (if appropriate). *Corruption cost:* Your Constitution score reduces by 1d4 points. If you drop to 0 Constitution points, you die. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. #### Chain of Sorrow *7th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (the umbilical cord of a stillborn child) - **Duration:** See text Make a ranged spell attack against one creature in range. On a hit, the target must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, its Charisma is reduced by 2d10, or half as much on a successful save. On a failed saving throw, the effect becomes contagious. The next time the target creature touches a friend, loved one, or ally, that individual must make a Charisma saving throw or have its Charisma reduced by 2d10, or half on a successful save. This spell continues spreading until a creature successfully saves against it. All reductions caused by this spell last until cured by *greater restoration* or similar magic. If a creature drops to 0 Charisma points, it is stunned until it regains at least 1 Charisma point. *Corruption cost:* Your Charisma score reduces by 2d10 points. If you drop to 0 Charisma points, you are stunned until you regain at least 1 Charisma point. The reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. #### Consume Likeness *6th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (an ounce of a creature's fresh or preserved flesh, consumed) - **Duration:** Permanent You can take on the appearance and form—including clothing and equipment—of a corporeal humanoid that is freshly dead. You assume the form of the creature as it looked when it lived. You must eat the flesh of the corpse whose form is to be assumed as you cast the spell. Once the spell is complete, you can assume the new likeness at will. By changing to this new form, your body can undergo a limited physical transmutation, including adding or subtracting one or two limbs, and your weight can be changed up to one-half. If the form selected has wings, you can fly at a speed of 30 feet. If the form has gills, you can breathe underwater. You cannot assume the likeness of something that is a different size than you Except as listed above, your stats do not change. If you die, you revert to your true form. You can also revert as an action. *Corruption cost:* You lose 2d6 points of Wisdom, going insane if it is reduced to 0 until you regain at least 1 point. This reduction can be removed by *greater restoration*, but does not vanish on its own. \page
#### Curse Weather *8th-level conjuration* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 hour - **Range:** Self (special) - **Components:** V, S, M (10,000 gp of amethyst for violet rain) - **Duration:** Special You conjure a type of cursed weather centered upon yourself. It functions as described in under Cursed Weather. To conjure violet rain, you must sacrifice 10,000 gp worth of amethysts. Other forms of cursed weather have no material component. *Corruption cost:* Your Constitution score reduces by 3d6 points. If you drop to 0 Constitution points, you die. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. #### Death by Thorns *7th-level conjuration* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous You target up to three creatures, no two of which can be more than 15 feet away from each other, and cause thorns to sprout inside each of them. Each must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature writhes in agony for 1d4 + 1 rounds, incapacitated, before taking 40d6 piercing damage. A *wish* spell cast on a subject during this time can eliminate the thorns and save that creature. Creatures that succeed at their Constitution saving throws still have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks for 1d4 + 1 rounds, taking 1d6 points of piercing damage at the start of each turn. At the end of the agony, however, the thorns disappear. *Corruption cost:* You lose 1d3 points of Wisdom, going insane if it is reduced to 0 until you regain at least 1 point. This reduction can be removed by *greater restoration*, but does not vanish on its own. #### Eternity of Torture *9th-level enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 day - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (an instrument of torture) - **Duration:** Permanent One creature within range must make a Constitution saving throw. On a success, it is incapacitated with excruciating pain for 1 minute. On a failure, it suffers a far worse fate. If it fails this saving throw, the subject is rendered stunned with pain beyond any imagination until the spell ends. However, as long as the spell continues, it is sustained and has no need to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe. The subject does not age—all the better to ensure a true eternity of unimaginable torture. Lastly, the subject is completely unaware of its surroundings, insensate to anything but the excruciating pain. A *dispel magic* spell can end the spell only if it is cast as a 9th-level spell. *Corruption cost:* You lose 4d6 points of Wisdom, going insane if it is reduced to 0 until you regain at least 1 point. This reduction can be removed by *greater restoration*, but does not vanish on its own. #### Fallen Soul *5th-level enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S, M (a feather from a fallen angel) - **Duration:** Permanent You touch one creature and force it to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a success, it suffers no ill effects. On a failure, it is affected by the spell. This sinister spell imbues the target's soul with a hidden taint of evil potentiality. Additionally, it brands the creature with an invisible mark on the forehead. Any fiend can see this mark. Other creatures see it if they can see invisible objects. This mark denotes the creature bearing it as someone who bears in its soul a seed of evil that, with proper coaxing and opportunity, could blossom into true depravity and cruelty. The recipient of this spell must be a living creature that is not a celestial. It has no effect on unaligned creatures. When this spell is first cast on a creature, the creature becomes poisoned for 1 minute on a failed save. Once a good or neutral target is affected by this spell, it begins to have strange and increasingly powerful urges to commit evil acts. Its dreams grow dark, sinister, and cruel, yet are disturbingly entertaining and soothing. The magic of the spell does not force the victim to make evil acts, but it does encourage such behavior through conditioning. Each time the victim willingly commits an evil act, this spell grants a +4 bonus to the character's Strength, Constitution, and Charisma scores; this bonus persists for 1 hour before fading. If the target continues to perform evil acts, its alignment eventually becomes evil as well, at which time the spell no longer grants this bonus. If the creature subjected to this spell is evil, the *fallen soul* punishes the creature for good acts. If the target ever willingly performs a good act, the spell reduces the creature's Strength, Constitution, and Charisma scores by 4. This reduction lasts until *greater restoration* or similar magic is applied. *Dispel evil and good, wish,* or *greater restoration* can remove the spell, but *remove curse* cannot, and the *fallen soul* cannot be dispelled. *Corruption Cost:* Your Charisma is reduced by 1d6 points. You are paralyzed if this reduces your Strength to 0. The reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. \page
#### Forbidden Speech *4th-level enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Permanent One creature you touch must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it is impossible for the creature to speak about a single topic. The topic should be as narrow as possible for the spell to work properly. An appropriate topic might be events that occurred while the creature was in captivity, the whereabouts and names of enemies, the secret location of a hidden treasure, the password into a guarded compound, the command word of a magic item, or the explanation behind some major occurrence. Invalid topics include verbal components of spells, a creature's whole life history, or anything too broad for a reasonable definition of a single topic. Whether a topic is too broad is up the DM, who can double the corruption cost and have the spell automatically fail if you persist in attempting an invalid topic. Thus, this can be a dangerous spell to attempt. The affected creature cannot communicate regarding the topic in any way. Speech becomes gibberish, writing is reduced to an indecipherable scrawl, gestures are impossible, and even telepathy (including *detect thoughts*) is scrambled. The creature has not forgotten the information, however, and it can be a maddening occurrence for the creature to be unable to communicate information that might be of life-and-death importance to friends and allies. This spell can't be dispelled, but *greater restoration, heal*, or *wish* ends it. *Corruption Cost:* Your Strength is reduced by 1d6 points. You are paralyzed if this reduces your Strength to 0. The reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. #### Lahm's Finger Darts *3rd-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous You transform your fingers into deadly weapons. You can fire as many fingers as you wish, up to your total amount (usually 10, but not always) taking the corruption cost of your choice (and possibly rendering a hand useless). Make a ranged spell attack for each one. On a hit, one ability score of your choice of the target is reduced by 1. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. If its Strength or Dexterity is reduced to 0, it is paralyzed until it regains at least 1 point of the stat. If its Intelligence, Wisdom, or Constitution is reduced to 0, it is stunned until it regains at least 1 point of the stat. If its Constitution is reduced to 0, it dies. Fingers lost to this spell grow back when the corruption cost is healed. There are rumors of casters who lose all their fingers instantly regrowing them, this time as fiendish claws, and those claws strangling them if they ever do something truly goodhearted, but such rumors cannot be substantiated. *Corruption Cost:* Your Strength score is reduced by 1 point per finger you fire. If your Strength is reduced to 0, you are paralyzed until you regain at least 1 point of Strength. Additionally, a hand with one or no fingers is useless. #### Love's Pain *2nd-level enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (flowers left at a gravestone) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute This exceptionally cruel spell manifests as a crackling ray of greenish-black energy. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target is not harmed, but the target's closest friend or dearest loved one is wracked with unimaginable pain, taking 1d4 psychic damage and 1d4 more at the start of each of your turns while the spell lasts. An *antimagic field* blocks the damage. If you so choose, you can establish a psychic link between the target and its loved one, allowing the target to experience the agony of his or her beloved. If you choose to do so, the target must make a Wisdom saving throw at the start of each turn while the spell lasts or have disadvantage on attack rolls until the start of its next turn. Alternatively, you could not do so, and leave the target to discover the results in horror later. If the target is currently under the effect of a *rewrite personality* spell or similar effect, this spell hits their original loved one, not their current. It may take DMs and players a moment to determine who the subject’s dearest loved one is. The DM determines this for nonplayer characters (NPCs). It is rare (but possible) that no individual qualifies. In that case, the target takes the damage, and no mental link is possible. *Corruption Cost:* Your Intelligence is reduced by 1d6 points. You are stunned if this reduces your Intelligence to 0. The reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. #### Master's Lament *6th-level transmutation* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes This spell strengthens the bond between master and familiar. Choose one creature with a familiar or other empathically linked animal companion within range, or alternatively choose a familiar or other empathetically linked creature. Your target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, for the duration of the spell, any damage, condition (charm, exhaustion, etc.), or magical effect (*suggestion*, *dominate person*, etc.) taken by the master is also taken by the familiar, and vice versa. If the effect allows a save, both master and familiar roll their saves separately. *Corruption Cost:* Your Charisma is reduced by 1d6 points. You are stunned if this reduces your Charisma to 0. The reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. \page
#### Putrefaction *9th-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Special You touch one creature within your reach. This powerful spell causes the victim to begin aging rapidly. Each round, the victim ages 2d10 years. While this rapid aging persists, the victim is wracked with pain and is stunned. As soon as the victim's age goes beyond the maximum age of its species, its body dies and the accelerated aging stops. This spell has no effect on dragons or other creatures that do not age in the standard fashion. When the victim dies, its body immediately animates as a zombie under the control of the caster. Additionally, the victim's soul transforms into a ghost that cannot move more than 30 feet from the caster. This ghost gains all the powers as listed in the ghost's description above, but the vile energies of the spell cause the ghost to become evil. You can control the ghost and zombie as if you had used negative energy to command undead, although minions created by this spell do not count against the total undead that can be controlled. You can control a number of ghosts created by this spell equal to your spellcsating ability bonus, with a minimum of one. Additional ghosts created by this spell are free-willed but are friendly toward the caster. The effects of this spell are extremely difficult to reverse. As long as the aging is still in process, a *dispel evil and good* spell followed by a *greater restoration* spell halts the aging. A second *greater restoration* spell can then restore the victim's proper age. *Sequester* stops the advance of the spell, but it continues on its course if the stasis is ever lifted. Once the body dies, only a carefully worded *wish* can reverse the effects. *Corruption cost:* Your Constitution score reduces by 1d6 points. If you drop to 0 Constitution points, you die. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. #### Red Fester *2nd-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration** Instantaneous You touch a creature, weakening its body and its self-esteem. It must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the subject's skin turns red and blisters. The blisters quickly turn into oozing wounds. Furthermore, the subject's sense of self becomes strangely clouded, diminishing its self-esteem. Its Strength score is reduced by 1d6, and its Charisma is reduced by 1d4. If its Strength is reduced to 0, it is paralyzed until it regains at least 1 point of Strength. If its Charisma is reduced to 0, it is stunned until it regains at least 1 point of Charisma. These reductions last until until cured through *greater restoration* or similar magic. *Corruption cost:* Your Strength score reduces by 1d6 points. If you drop to 0 Strength points, you are paralyzed until you regain at least 1 Strength point. The reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. #### Remorseless Charm *6th-level enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 hour - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a work of art depicting worth at least 1,000 gp; see text) - **Duration:** Until dispelled or triggered This spell is cast upon a beautiful piece of art worth at least 1,000 gp. The artwork must depict acts of debauchery or evil that are titillating and fascinating, not disturbing or revolting. When the art is revealed to a creature, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the subject's normal inhibitions are eliminated and the subject's conscience is silenced. Under its effects, a good creature might commit acts of extraordinary evil without any feelings of remorse. For instance, a paladin who strives to never destroy a foe that has surrendered might decide that she’s better off meting out justice immediately and killing the enemy. This spell affects the target’s norms and expectations; for example, once affected, a good-aligned target might be willing to attack his friends when urged to do so through a *suggestion*. This would not eliminate his need to atone, according to the tenets and punishments prescribed by his faith or law. The compulsion is permanent until broken by a *greater restoration* spell or similar magic, or until it is removed by the spellcaster as an action. *Corruption cost:* Your Wisdom score reduces by 2d6 points. If you drop to 0 Wisdom points, you are stunned until you regain at least 1 Wisdom point. The reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. #### Rewrite Personality *9th-level enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** 8 hours - **Range:** 10 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (an amulet worth at least 25,000 gold) - **Duration:** Instantaneous You enter the mind of a creature within range. It must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it suffers the effects of this spell. You learn everything that creature knows. You can erase or add memories as you see fit and alter emotions, opinions, and even alignment. When you are done, you can leave the creature permanently suffering the effects of a *confusion* spell or seemingly unaffected, without any memory of the intrusion. Severe changes to personality and changes to alignment can be corrected by a *greater restoration* or *heal* spell. Alterations to memories and subtler thoughts can be restored only through use of a *wish* or direct divine intervention. *Corruption cost:* You lose 4d6 points of Wisdom, going insane if it is reduced to 0 until you regain at least 1 point. This reduction can be removed by *greater restoration*, but does not vanish on its own. Even just having this spell prepared reduces your Wisdom by 1d3, which cannot be cured until you no longer have it prepared. \page
#### Rotting Curse of Urfestra *3rd-level necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous One creature you touch must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, its flesh and bones begin to rot. On a failure, the subject takes 3d10 points of necrotic damage immediately and its maximum hit points are reduced by the same amount, and a further 3d10 points of necrotic damage and equivalent maximum hit point reduction every hour until the subject dies or the curse is removed with *remove curse* or *wish*. *Corruption cost:* Your Strength score reduces by 1d6 points. If you drop to 0 Strength points, you are paralyzed until you regain at least 1 Strength point. The reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. #### Touch of Juiblex *3rd-level transmutation* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Touch - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous One creature you touch must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it turns into green slime over the course of 4 rounds. If a *remove curse, polymorph, heal, greater restoration, true polymorph,* or *wish* spell is cast during the 4 rounds of transformation, the subject is restored to normal but still takes 3d6 points of acid damage. After being transformed, only a *true polymorph* or *wish* spell can return the target to normal. *Corruption cost:* Your Strength score reduces by 1d6 points. If you drop to 0 Strength points, you are paralyzed until you regain at least 1 Strength point. The reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. \page
## Gods of Undeath
| Deity | Alignment| Domains | Symbol | |:----|:----:|:----:|:----:| | Afflux, god of torture and the knowledge gained from it | LE | Knowledge | chained drop of blood | | Colocalask, god of good-aligned undead | NG | Undeath | human hand clasping skeletal hand | | Doresain, demigod of ghouls and hunger | CE | Hunger | ghoul skull | | Evening Glory, goddess of love everlasting | N | Protection | hand with a heart-shaped hole | | Falazure, draconic god of energy drain and exhaustion | NE | Death | dragon skull | | Kiaransalee, drow demigoddess of undeath and revenge | CE | Ambition, Death | female drow hand wearing silver rings| | Kyuss, demigod of undead creation & control | NE | Death, Undeath | skull with green worms | | Mellifleur, god of liches | NE | Arcana, Undeath | skeletal hand holding a crystal vial | | Nerull, god of death | NE | Death | skull and scythe | | Orcus, demon lord of undeath | CE | Death | skull-headed rod | | Velsharoon, god of necromancers | NE | Arcana, Death | crowned, laughing lich skull | | The Xammux, gestalt god of knowledge at any price | NE | Knowledge | razor-sharp steel calipers |
### Afflux Afflux is the god of torture. He never flinches from dissecting the living to learn what made them once alive. He teaches that every creature has a secret, and the best way to spill that secret is with the creature's blood. ### Colocalask One of the newest gods, Colocalask's origins are unclear. He appears as a finely clad necropolitan diplomat, or sometimes as a kindly ghost. Some claim he is a result of a rising number of good undead, while others argue a good lich engineered his rise. In either case, he offers patronage to all good-aligned undead. ### Doresain Doresain hungers for the flesh of the living. He can never be sated, and always desires to eat more. He appeals to ghouls and other creatures driven by their hunger. > *Do you question your life? Do you wonder what use is this day-to-day existence each of us endures? Have your youthful dreams been trampled by necessity, and are those dreams now forever beyond your grasp? Do you labor each day just to “get by, get through,” only to wake again on the morrow to repeat another plodding day, a hollow husk of what you had hoped to be and do? Do you desire to blunt the harsh, banal life you live? Do you despair? Then come find us. The Church of the Reaper has the answer.* > >—Pamphlet seeking converts to Nerull’s fold under false pretenses \page
# Other DM Options Everything in this section is **completely up to DM adjudication** (more so than the rest of the book). These rules are presented because the rules for necromancy as written are lacking in many respects. I give the rules as I believe they should be (sometimes with more than one option), but if the DM chooses otherwise, his or her word goes. Some rules dealing with various other aspects of dark magic (such as Cursed Weather) are included because they fit thematically. ## Spell Schools *Inflict wounds* channels negative energy, and *cure wounds* channels positive energy. However, *inflict wounds* is necromancy while *cure wounds* is evocation. This is inconsistent--they draw from mirror planes, so they should be the same school. There are two ways to handle this: ### Option One: Necrotic is Evocation One option is to make most spells that do necrotic damage evocation. Evocation magic channels energy from other planes. ##### Cantrips (0 Level) - Chill Touch - Toll the Dead ##### 1st Level - Inflict Wounds ##### 3rd Level - Vampiric Touch ##### 4th Level - Blight - Shadow of Moil ##### 5th Level - Negative Energy Flood ##### 6th Level - Circle of Death - Harm ##### 7th Level - Finger of Death ``` ``` ### Option Two: Healing is Necromantic Another option is to make most healing spells (and some radiant damage spells) necromancy. Necromancy manipulates the energies of life and death. ##### Cantrips (0 Level) - Word of Radiance ##### 1st Level - Cure Wounds - Divine Favor - Healing Word ##### 2nd Level - Prayer of Healing ##### 3rd Level - Aura of Vitality - Crusader's Mantle - Mass Healing Word - Revivify ##### 5th Level - Mass Cure Wounds - Reincarnate ##### 6th Level - Heal ##### 9th Level - Mass Heal - Power Word Heal I personally favor Option Two, and this is a book about necromancy. However, both are described here, so that you may use the one you prefer. Be aware that Option One significantly nerfs the wizard's necromancer subclass. \page
## New Damage Types ### Dessication Damage Dessication damage is a mixture of fire and necrotic. A creature must be resistant/immune/vulnerable to both to be resistant/immune/vulnerable to dessication damage. A creature that is immune to fire and resistant to necrotic, or vice versa, is resistant to dessication damage. However, a few creatures (such as the **salt mummy**) have dessication damage listed as something they are resistant, vulnerable, to immune to. In this case, such creatures do not have the same resistance/immunity/vulnerability to fire or necrotic, unless their statblock lists those as well. *Abi Dalzim's Horrid Wilting* deals dessication damage. ### Frostburn Damage Frostburn damage is cold damage that cannot be healed without magic while the target is within an area 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Magic succeeds only if the caster makes a DC 20 spellcasting ability check. Once brought to a warmer area, frostburn damage becomes normal damage and can be healed normally. Resistance, vulnerability, or immunity to cold damage work identically with frostburn damage. *Frostbite* deals frostburn damage. ### Vile Damage Vile damage does not represent a specific type, but rather a trait any type of damage can have (for example, there could be vile force damage, or vile necrotic damage). It represents a horrific violation to a character’s body or soul. Vile damage cannot be healed naturally, and can only be magically healed if the magic is cast within the area of a *hallow* spell. > ##### Variant Rule: Elemental Hazards > > If you so wish, you could make all cold damage in cold areas (40 degrees or lower) frostburn damage. ``` ``` ## Undead Minions ### Turning and Rebuking Any undead with advantage against being turned gains advantage against being rebuked. Any undead immune to being turned gains immunity to being rebuked. Advantage against being turned does not provide advantage against other ways of controlling undead, such as an oathbreaker paladin's or dread necromancer's Control Undead or a necromancer wizard's Command Undead. ### Alignment Zombies, skeletons, and some other undead with an Intelligence of 6 or below are unaligned. Such undead do not have the mental capacity to understand moral issues, and are simply matter given animating energy, similar to a golem. However, some undead with an Intelligence of 6 or below are not unaligned, such as Spawn of Kyuss. ### Weapon Proficiency You can assume that unintelligent undead (such as zombies and skeletons) are proficient with all weapons and armor (including shields). However, not all of them have anatomy suitable for weapons or armor. The crawling claw, for instance, certainly can't wear plate armor. This ruling is [supported by WOTC designers.](https://www.sageadvice.eu/2017/01/14/are-skeletons-and-zombies-proficient-with-armor-and-weapons-given-by-a-necromancer/) ### Equipment The statblock for the skeleton in the Monster Manual includes weapons. If you animate a pile of bones, does it magically gain a weapon? I find that idea absurd. Instead, I would suggest having undead start out with no equipment unless there is a good reason for them to have equipment. If you animate a dead foe's corpse, the corpse will naturally retain its armor and weapons from life (assuming the party rogue doesn't grab them first!). But if you dig up a peasant's body buried in rags, a sword doesn't appear in its hand. ### Re-Reanimation According to [WOTC designers](https://www.sageadvice.eu/2015/05/11/healing-undead-minions/), you can cast *animate dead* on a destroyed zombie, and reuse the same corpse indefinitely. This means the spell *Renew the Tide of Unlife* is completely unnecessary. Double-check with your DM about this, as he or she may disagree. \page
## Deathless *Book of Exalted Deeds* introduced the deathless, creatures similar to undead yet powered by positive energy. They depend on the faith of the living to sustain themselves. These creatures were featured prominently in the *Eberron Campaign Setting* as the rulers of the Undying Court. According to the Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron, deathless are now simply unusual undead. If you prefer a larger distinction, consider the rules below. ### Type A deathless's type is deathless. ### Turning and Rebuking Any ability that turns undead rebukes deathless; if the deathless would be destroyed, they are instead commanded. Conversely, any ability that rebukes undead turns deathless; if the deathless would be commanded, they are instead destroyed. ### Other Class Abilities Paladins can detect deathless with their Divine Sense. Rangers can select them as a favored enemy. ### Existing Spells *Detect evil and good*, *commune with nature*, and *commune with city* detect deathless. *Dispel evil and good* protects against them. *Hold monster*, *cause fear*, and *command* have no effect upon them. *Raise dead*, *resurrection,* and similar spells fail as if they were undead. *True resurrection* restores them to how they were when alive. *Magic circle*, *forbiddance*, *hallow*, and *temple of the gods* can repel them. *Antilife shell* treats them as if they were undead. *Shapechange* can't turn the caster into a deathless. *Negative energy flood* and *charnel touch* damage them. However, spells such as *cure wounds*, *prayer of healing*, *healing word*, *heal*, and the like work on deathless normally, as they are powered by positive energy. ### New Spells Spells such as *halt undead*, *revive undead*, and *command undead* have identical versions that affect deathless. Substitute the word "undead" for "deathless" in the spell descriptions to create *halt deathless*, *revive deathless*, and *command deathless.* A similar procedure can be applied to other spells. ### Unholy Water Unholy water deals 2d6 acid damage to deathless regardless of alignment, similar to how holy water deals 2d6 radiant damage to undead regardless of alignment. "Negatoxins" derived from unholy water affect deathless, but regular positoxins have no effect. To create negatoxins, replace radiant damage with necrotic damage, and have the toxin only affect deathless. ### Terrain Deathless have advantage on all saving throws while on consecrated ground, and disadvantage on all saving throws while on desecrated ground. ### Designing Deathless Almost all deathless are immune to poison damage, like almost all undead. Many of them are resistant or even immune to radiant damage. Almost none are are resistant or immune to necrotic, and a few are even vulnerable to it. They have protection against conditions similar to undead. Most of them have darkvision. ### Deathless and Alignment As presented in *Book of Exalted Deeds*, deathless are exclusively good, while undead are purely evil. This contradicts established lore—numerous undead can be of any alignment (ghosts are an obvious example). Eberron has a more nuanced view, allowing for evil deathless and good undead. Some groups (such as the Undying Court) believe that the existence of good undead is still a grievous problem, believing the negative energy leeches away the vitality of the world. The truthfulness of this claim is left to the DM to determine; I view it as Irianian propaganda. > ##### Undead-Deathless Relations > > If deathless exist in your campaign setting, you should consider what their relationship with the undead of similar alignment is. Do the undead pity the deathless for their dependence on the faith of the living, without which they will die? Do the deathless view all undead as abominations, or as errant kin? Do some undead envy the deathless's existence so they could feel positive energy's warm embrace, or do deathless wish for the exceptionally long list of benefits enjoyed by some of the mightier undead? \page
## Variant Turning and Rebuking Some DMs may not like the turning rules as written, which fuction like a *fear* spell for undead. If you feel this way, consider the following variant: When a cleric turns undead, he or she deals 1d6 radiant damage per cleric level to all undead within range, or half on a successful Wisdom saving throw against the cleric's spell save DC. If this damage reduces the undead to 0 hit points, it is instantly destroyed. A paladin who turns undead, fiends, or other creatures does damage similarly, but instead only does a number of d6s equal to half of his or her paladin level, rounded up. ### Turn Resistance Under this system, turn resistance provides resistance against the damage of turning, and turn immunity provides immunity to it. ### Sun Domain The Sun domain's Heightened Turning feature increases the damage per level to 1d12. ### Rebuking If you wish, you could convert rebuking to instead heal all undead for 1d6 hit points per dread necromancer level, and gain any excess as temporary hit points that last for 1 hour. However, this removes what is arguably the main feature—permanent control of undead. ``` ``` ## Animate Dead & Create Undead In 3.5, *animate dead* let you create skeletons or zombies of a huge variety of creatures, and *create undead* had more than just ghouls, ghasts, wights, and mummies. ### Animate Dead At your option, you could allow the reanimation of zombies and skeletons of creatures with a CR of 1/8 or lower with the *animate dead* spell. Apply the skeletal template and the zombified template below. A dolphin skeleton would make a lovely steed in an aquatic campaign. A dread can be created with an *animate dead* spell, but doing so requires and consumes a 250gp zendalure gemstone. It also counts as three zombies or skeletons for the purpose of reasserting control. ### Create Undead At your option, the *create undead* spell could be used to create a wider variety of creatures. A necrosis carnex can be created with an 8th-level or higher *create undead* spell (treat as a wight for the purposes of creation and control). Doing so requires three separate corpses and cold-hammered iron bands worth at least 200gp. A bonespur can be created by a *create undead* spell (treat as a ghoul for the purporses of creation and control). Doing so requires six Medium skeletons. A serpentir can be created with a 9th-level *create undead* spell (treat as a mummy for the purposes of creation and control). Doing so requires six Medium skeletons. \page
## Haunting Presences Sometimes when undead are created, they come into being without a physical form and are merely presences of malign evil. Haunting presences can occur either spontaneously (see Atrocity Calls to Unlife) or as a result of the spell *haunt shift* (see above). Tied to particular locations or objects, these beings may reveal their unquiet natures only indirectly, at least at first. As a haunting presence, an undead is impossible to affect or even directly sense. A haunting presence is more fleeting than undead that appear as incorporeal ghosts or wraiths, or even those undead enterprising enough to range the Ethereal Plane. In fact, a haunting presence is tied to an object or location, and only upon the destruction of the object or location is it dispelled. However, despite having no physicality, each haunting presence still possesses the identity of a specific kind of undead. For instance, one haunting presence may be similar to a vampire, while another is more like a wraith. ### The Haunting Whenever an undead appears as a haunting presence, it haunts an unattended, mundane object or location. Using the same decision-making process that he uses to populate a location or area with a standard monster, the DM simply chooses an unattended mundane object or location as the subject of a haunting presence. The DM also determines the variety of undead (skeleton, zombie, wraith, or other kind) that serves as the source of the haunting presence. An undead may haunt a discrete object of at least Tiny size and no larger than Huge size. Items (both magical and mundane) currently in the possession of a character (often referred to as attended items) cannot be haunted. Sentient magic items receive a Charisma saving throw as if a spell was being cast upon the item (DC 8 + the undead's Proficiency bonus + the undead’s Cha modifier). A haunting presence becomes a part of the object or location haunted. Haunting presences are always aware of what is going on around the object that they haunt. They can see and hear up to 60 feet away (but do not gain blindsight). A haunting presence cannot be turned, rebuked, or destroyed while the presence remains immaterial (but see Exorcising a Haunting Presence, below). Normal vulnerabilities of a particular kind of undead do not apply to the haunting presence of that undead. For instance, the haunting presence of a vampire haunting a fire poker is not destroyed if brought into sunlight. ### Effects of a Haunting A presence haunting an object may do so in a couple of ways. Undead of CR 4 or lower may use only one form of haunting, but undead of CR 5 or higher can make their presence known using either of the methods described below (impermanent home or poltergeist). No matter the way the haunting presence makes itself felt, the haunting presence of a sentient undead can always choose to speak to nearby creatures, usually in a whispery or incoherent voice that seems to come from the air. However, haunting presences are usually not much for conversation. Characters may note at times that the object they’ve found or the location they inhabit has a strange air, or the appearance of it is somehow “off” (with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check). *Impermanent Home:* An undead presence haunting an object or an area can sometimes become more than a presence, actually taking corporeal or incorporeal form a number of times per week equal to the undead’s CR, minimum of 1 time (that includes haunting presences that manifest “physically” as incorporeal undead). The presence that takes form does so anywhere within the location it haunts, or in the closest empty space adjacent to the object it haunts. A presence that takes form can remain so for up to a number of minutes equal to its CR. An undead that takes form can always choose to return to its haunting presence status earlier, but it must take a bonus action to do so. While in physical form, the undead can take any actions normal for an undead of its kind. It can attack, take damage, and even be destroyed. Unless it is a ghost, lich, or some other sort of undead that is resistant to destruction, the haunting presence is also permanently eradicated, though most attempt to return to their haunting presence status if threatened with such destruction. *Poltergeist:* If an object has parts that move, such as a wagon, a clock, or a crossbow, a haunting presence can control the object’s movement, though the object will move no faster than the undead itself could move in its normal form. Thus, a wagon can be made to steer toward a pedestrian on a street or roll out of a stable with no horse pulling it. A clock can slow or run backward. A crossbow can cock and fire (but not aim or load itself). An undead with at least 8 CR and a Charisma score of 17 or higher can actually force an object with no moving parts to animate (see Animated Objects in the Monster Manual), based on the object’s size. No undead, no matter what its Charisma score is, can animate an object that has a higher Challenge Rating than its own. If a location instead of an object is haunted, the haunting presence can animate a number of objects equal to its CR at one time. \page
### Exorcising a Haunting Presence No matter how a haunting presence chooses to reveal itself, it is subject to being discovered and destroyed. Unfortunately, a cleric’s turning ability generally has no direct effect on haunting presences, other than to irritate them and focus their attention on the cleric doing the turning. Something more is called for—an exorcist. Exorcism is a special ritual, involving a spoken formula calling upon one or more deities or other powers, used with the intention of driving out haunting presences. Exorcism of a haunting presence is essentially a two-step process—forcing a presence to become physical, then destroying the revealed undead in the most expeditious manner possible. First, the forced revelation can be achieved through the use of a special ritual, which is generally known to anyone with proficiency in Intelligence (Religion). It must be performed by an exorcist who spends ten consecutive actions chanting or speaking the formula that pertains to exorcism, at the end of which time the exorcist must make a DC 17 Knowledge (religion) check. If the exorcist’s concentration is interrupted, the ritual must begin again. If the ritual is successful, the haunting presence becomes physical and must remain so for 1 round. The exorcist’s next action can be used to either attempt to turn or attack the revealed undead, or to continue the ritual, with an additional DC 17 Knowledge (religion) check required at the end of each round. Each successful check forces the undead to stay corporeal or incorporeal for 1 additional round. Even undead of 4 or lower CR that normally haunt only as poltergeists are forced to take form by the exorcism ritual, as well as haunting presences that have already used up all their chances to take form for the week. Undead forced to take form usually use their actions to attempt to slay the exorcist before they themselves are destroyed, so exorcists generally bring along companions who can physically attack the revealed undead. ### Haunted Sites Traditionally, haunting refers to the presence of a ghost or similar undead creature, as described above. However, there might be reasons other than the direct activity of a creature that earn a site the reputation of being haunted. Some possibilities include the manifestation of an evil essence, a lingering curse, or the psychic resonance of terrible events that occurred in that place. These manifestations have more in common with dungeon hazards such as green slime than they do with actual ghosts, presenting a hazard or series of hazards but no foe that can be defeated. Houses, castles, and cemeteries are common haunted sites—and houses or castles built atop catacombs or ancient cemeteries are particularly prone to haunting. Any place can become haunted, however: temples, farms, schools, shops and marketplaces, bridges, ships and caravans, and so on. The manifestations of hauntings fall into two broad categories: illusion effects and telekinetic effects. **Illusion Effects:** Phantom knocking, rattling chains, the stench of death filling the air—these are illusory manifestations. Generally, they are figments—equivalent to *minor illusion*, *silent image*, and related spells—that activate under certain circumstances or at specific times. The sound of a child crying might manifest whenever one character is alone in a certain room at night. The sound of rattling chains might seem to move up a staircase every night at midnight. Another common figment is the phantom reenactment of events that occurred on the site—often a traumatic event such as a murder or suicide. Characters who interact with a figment or other illusion effect can make Intelligence (Investigation) checks to disbelieve the effect as if it were a comparable illusion spell. Sometimes these manifestations are phantasms (spells such as *phantasmal force*) rather than figments, meaning that only a single character can perceive them, but to that character they are completely real. Occasionally they are patterns (spells such as *hypnotic pattern*), visible to all onlookers but carrying mind-affecting side effects. Most phantasms and pattern hauntings cause characters who witness them to become affected by fear—characters who fail a DC 15 Wisdom save might become frightened. Phantasmal odors might instead cause a character to become poisoned (Constitution DC 15 save negates). In their most dangerous manifestations, these effects can duplicate the *phantasmal killer* or *weird* spells. Illusory manifestations can also be glamers. Torches might seem to dim or change color. A character’s reflection in a mirror might seem to be doing something horrible, or it might look like someone else. A close friend might appear as a horrific monster. Occasionally, haunting effects that seem illusory are infused with shadowstuff and at least partially real, and can cause real harm to characters. The sensation of fingertips brushing the skin might be a phantasm and the feeling of someone walking past might be a figment, but the sense of a sharp blow or a wound could deal real damage (generally 1d6, but sometimes more). Similarly, a feeling of unnatural chill in a room could be a harmless figment, but it could also be a shadow effect that deals 1d8 necrotic damage and reduce the target's maximum hit points by the same amount. **Telekinetic Effects:** A haunting can duplicate any of the following spells: *mage hand, prestidigitation, thaumaturgy, telekinesis, arcane lock,* or *knock*. Hauntings often manifest in objects moving around a room, doors and windows opening or closing at random, doors locking or unlocking on their own, and similar effects. When a creature is subject to one of these effects, it receives a saving throw or other roll to resist it as if it were targeted by the spell being duplicated. **Exorcising a Haunted Site:** Just as in the case of a haunting presence, an exorcist can perform a ritual to cleanse a haunted site. If the exorcist successfully performs the ritual, which requires ten consecutive full-round actions and a DC 17 Intelligence (Religion) check, the haunting energies coalesce into a form that renders them vulnerable to traditional methods of removing magical effects, such as *dispel magic*, *remove curse*, or *greater restoration* spells. The effective level of a haunted site is the minimum level required to cast the highest-level spell duplicated by the haunting. With a successful ritual, the haunting energies remain vulnerable for 1 full round, but the exorcist can continue the ritual, causing the haunting energies to remain vulnerable, by making additional Knowledge (religion) checks each round. See Exorcising a Haunting Presence for more details of the exorcism process. \page
## Curses The *bestow curse* spell is the most well-known source of curses, but by no means the only one. ### Dying Curses When a creature dies under tragic circumstances, it might deliver a dying curse. This has the effect of a *bestow eternal curse* spell, but is not a spell and and does not allow a save--it simply takes effect (assuming the curse check is passed). Usually the 3rd-level version is applied, but if the creature's death is especially horrible, it may apply the 6th-level version. Truly horrific events, such as the destruction of an entire city, may grant enough emotional anguish to bestow the 9th-level version. The dying creature can target anyone with a dying curse; the target need not be present when the curse is delivered. Many creatures choose not to pronounce a dying curse, because as long as the curse remains the creature can't be raised or resurrected. A *true resurrection* can bring the creature back, but also ends the curse. After the curse ends, *raise dead* and *resurrection* work normally. #### Curse Check A dying creature can make a DC 15 Charisma check, with modifiers decided by the DM. On a success, the curse takes effect and does not allow a save. The adjacent table has some likely ones: ##### Curse Modifiers | Condition | Modifier | |:-------------|:----:| | Highly justified | +2 | | Justified | +0 | | Unjustified | -2 | | Extremely emotional | +3 | | Emotional | +1 | | Normal emotion level | -2 | | High drama | +5 | | Normal drama | +0 | | Low drama | -5 | | Mentions game mechanics | -5 | | Includes excessively broad prohibition | -3 | | Not tailored to victim | -2 | | Escape clause not mentioned (but still exists) | -3 | #### Discovering a Dying Curse A curse is often apparant (such as sudden illiteracy or a forked tongue). Sometimes, however, it is much more insidious. Discovering a dying curse can be a difficult task, since it is nonmagical and *remove curse* can't remove it. Spiritual experts (those with at least a +10 modifier in Religion) can make a DC 20 Intelligence (Religion) check once a week when interacting with the cursed individual. On a success, the expert discovers the nature of the curse. If the expert rolls a 25 or higher, the expert also learns how to end it. *Remove curse* also reveals the curse's nature and how to lift it. #### Removing a Dying Curse Lifting a dying curse requires more than a simple *remove curse* spell. A *wish* spell removes the curse, but each dying curse also must have a single means of removing the curse with some deed that the DM designates. The deed must be something that the target can accomplish within one year, assuming the task is undertaken immediately. For example, the deed might be “Slay the dragon under Castle Bluecraft,” or “Climb the tallest mountain in the world.” The target of the dying curse can have help accomplishing the deed. In fact, someone else can accomplish the deed as long as removing the curse is the expressed purpose of the deed. Thus, the king’s champion can climb the tallest mountain in the world to remove the curse on the king, for example. But if someone who doesn’t know about the curse climbs the mountain, the curse remains. > ##### Dying Curses > > Dying curses can add spectacular drama to a game, but don't overdo them. Once or twice a campaign is a good estimate for how often you should bring them to bear against the player characters. ### Family Curses Sometimes curses are passed through the generations of a single family like a hereditary disease. A family curse can pass from a parent to all children, or the curse can simply pass to the oldest child, the youngest child, the oldest child of a particular gender, a child with a particular trait, and so on. A family curse can be the result of a particularly powerful dying curse, a *familial geas* spell, a *wish* spell, the use of an artifact, or the intervention of a god. It can take the form of a regular curse, or it can seem to force a character toward a particular fate. Because curses of the latter sort lie in the realm of destiny and can be vague in their application, they are usually best left in the hands of the DM, rather than obeying a simple set of rules. Family curses can be undone as described in Dying Curses, above. Some fate-based family curses can be forever broken if one member of the family can simply resist the doomed destiny. Some sample family curses are given below. - Each oldest son is doomed to murder his father. - The youngest daughter in each generation is doomed to become an evil spellcaster. - The children of the family born with red hair are all terribly unlucky (as described in the *bestow eternal curse* spell). - One male child of each generation is doomed to be eaten by a dragon. - The sixth daughter of a sixth daughter will bring doom to her entire land. \page
## Dealing with Resurrection *Raise dead* and its mightier siblings completely change the course of a game. Suddenly, death is not the end. Many DMs have an issue with resurrection as it is presented, and I have met a few who ban it outright. This section presents a selection of **variant rules** for the DM who is dissatisfied with resurrection, to use singly or in conjunction. ### Remove It I start with my least favorite solution: remove resurrection entirely. This makes the loss of a character permanent, but otherwise has no effect. You should balance encounters much more carefully, since a sequence of bad rolls can spell the final end of a beloved PC. ### Longer Casting Time One simple solution is to make these spells take longer. If *raise dead* takes 8 or even 24 hours to cast, campaign events can happen while the PCs are preoccupied saving their friend. ### Sacred Location Resurrection cannot happen just anywhere. The body must be taken to a place linked to the forces of life or death. This could be on a tall mountaintop close to the heavens, or deep underground near the underworld. It could be in a temple sacred to the god of death, or to the character's own deity. ### Balancing the Scales For one to live, another must die. The caster must send a new soul to the underworld to replace the one they are bringing back. This could be any sentient soul, but I'd say that's too easy on the PC, since all they have to do is find someone they can justify slaying. This option is far more effective if you present a more difficult choice. Some options include: - **Willing Sacrifice.** The creature must be willingly giving up his or her life to bring back the deceased person. - **Same God.** The creature must worship the same god as the deceased. - **Same Alignment.** The creature must be of the same alignment as the person you're bringing back. How will the paladin feel to know that her friends murdered a lawful good being to get her back? ### Quest for the Dead The players must bargain with the god of the dead, or even go into the underworld itself to bring back their friend. ### Mishaps Sometimes resurrections don't go quite right. Some excellent examples of resurrection tables are [here](https://wrathofzombie.wordpress.com/2013/12/24/the-d200-side-effects-of-being-resurrected-table/), [here](http://www.collegeoflore.com/rule/resurrection-mishaps/) and [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/4271mk/random_resurrection_table_drawbacks_advantages/). Heroes of Horror has another one. ### Demand Why In many settings, the afterlife is a wonderful, final reward. You might consider asking why the PC is choosing to leave behind a happy world for a cruel one. ### Take Advantage Best used in conjunction with Longer Casting Time or Sacred Location, if the players are busy trying to bring a friend back, a villain can sense it's time to strike. A devastating attack on a city, or the assassination of a ruler, can take place when the PCs are distracted. ### Turnabout is Fair Play NPCs have access to resurrection too, and a mighty villain might end up resurrected by his or her friends. Although you can overuse this trick, surprising your players with it once in a while is perfectly fine. \page
## "Zombie, Do This!" One of the biggest problems for a DM with a necromancer player is the fact that undead can be used to safely and easily check for traps. DMs may quickly get annoyed with this trick, and consequently some hesitate to allow necromancer PCs. This section is meant to provide ways to deal with minion abuse of any kind, from undead to hirelings to elementals to bound fiends. Generally speaking, I focus on low levels, since that is what sees the most play. ### More Traps One simple way is to add multiple traps. A wizard with several crawling claw minions, or a skeletal butler, will run out of minions eventually. If you absolutely have to have the PCs fall in a pit, just make sure there is one more pit than minions. The necromancer will still feel like he or she contributed (look at all those pit traps his or her minions saved the party from!). ### Preemptive Destruction You could thin the ranks ahead of time. Have a surprise ambush occur before the minions uncover any real traps. The undead still gets to contribute to combat, so it doesn't feel like a total waste, and you no longer have to worry as much. ### False Safety The undead do not feel poison's touch. This can be a boon (when the party runs into a green dragon, it's a blessing that the minions won't all keel over) but it can also be a curse. If a skeleton touches a doorknob to confirm it's safe, and shows no ill effects, when the party rogue goes up to it he or she may suddenly be paralyzed by a contact poison! Likewise, a spell effect such as *negative energy flood* would be a refreshing breeze to a skeleton, but might kill the necromancer when he or she is hit by it. ### False Danger Conversely, the skeleton may report some things as dangerous when in truth they would be beneficial. If it enters an area of positive energy and crumbles to dust, the players will likely try to avoid the place, even though it would heal them. ``` ``` ## Uncontrolled Zombies? Assuming you use the Playing with Fire campaign setting as I do (and not the Crawling Darkness; see the **Tome of Necromancy** for details), an uncontrolled skeleton or zombie follows its last commands in a crude way. If it were ordered to chop wood, it would continue until the forest is splinters. If its axe rusts to nothing, it will use its claws. If it were ordered to guard an area, it would attempt to kill anyone entering that area, but leave anyone outside that area alone. If ordered to follow a necromancer, it will follow him or her forever, making no move to attack or defend him or her. If a skeleton is attacked, it will defend itself, and if it sees a creature attacking another undead it will attack that creature. If a skeleton sees an undead attacking another undead, the battle may devolve into a free-for-all. Skeletons are not curious and do not care about events that don't interfere with their orders. A skeleton ordered to chop wood will not care about a group of adventurers moving through the area as long as the adventurers don't try to stop it. Wights and ghouls, however, are wholly evil and usually attack the living on sight. Good members of these types of undead exist, but are quite rare. \page
## Necromantic Secrets These are powerful rituals or long-forgotten bits of lore enabling creatures to do things they couldn't otherwise do. ### The Bloodtouched Rite When an individual (usually a spellcaster) proves itself to be of particular worth to the undead leadership of the Blood of Vol, it is rewarded with participation in the Bloodtouched Rite. Typically a character must be at least 3rd level to be so rewarded, though exceptions exist. The ceremony requires a chalice brimming with blood donated by willing followers of the Blood of Vol. This chalice is the focus of extensive prayers, culminating when the officiating cleric channels negative energy into it. Once the chalice is prepared, it is passed around to the participants, who drink deeply from it. A character who drinks from this chalice permanently loses 4 points of Constitution, but gains three benefits: - You can add your Charisma modifier to your HP each level and hit die, instead of your Constitution - Your necromancy spells that animate or create undead are cast as if you had used a slot one level higher. You gain advantage on saves against being poisoned - At the end of a long rest, you gain the effect of a *shroud of undeath* spell that lasts until the start of your next long rest (the spell can end early as normal). The saving throw DC for the spell equals 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. The Constitution loss can't be prevented by any means. A *greater restoration* can restore the Constitution, but if the Constitution is restored, all benefits are lost. ### Dark Chant A few undead learn the secret of the dark chant from forbidden scrolls and forgotten books. The dark chant is not a spell, but a number of particularly foul necromantic words and phrases strung together into a litany of evil power. If at least two undead creatures within 10 feet of each other use an action to intone the dark chant together, all undead within 100 feet of them (including the chanters) gain advantage on saves against being turned and rebuked as long as the chanters continue to spend their actions chanting. Undead with Intelligence scores below 8 cannot use the dark chant (though they gain its benefits). Intoning the dark chant is a magical ability. Some surmise that the dark chant has power because it is actually uses some words from the Dark Speech, although the words and phrases may be bastardized, barely-understood, and mispronounced. ### Fragment Phylactery One of the greatest secrets of the mightiest liches is the ability to turn one phylactery into many. Achieving this awesome feat might require an artifact such as the *Necronomicon* or the *Book of Vile Darkness*, or the sacrfice of thousands of souls. In any case, fragmenting a phylactery should not be an easy task, and could well be the driving force behind a high-level adventure. In the Forgotten Realms, Aumvor discovered this technique. In Eberron, perhaps one of the Qabalrin vampires invented it. The ritual takes 1 week and transforms one phylactery into 1d8 + spellcasting modifier items. The process can be used recursively. ### Bonfire of Insanity This horrid ritual was invented by Orcus's cultists. To activate it, a bonfire of humanoid bones at least 10 feet in diameter is built. A spellcaster with access to 9th-level spells, and two more with access to 5th-level spells, must dance and chant around the bonfire for 1 hour. Upon completion, they lose all of their spell slots of 5th-level or higher, and the spell takes effect. The smoke from the fire rises up and mingles with the rain clouds, filling them with vile power in a one-mile radius centered upon the bonfire. All the tainted water rains down and soaks the ground, up to all corpses within range rise up as ghouls. Even skeletal remains are affected. The corpses receive no saving throw against the spell’s effects, not even if they are buried in consecrated ground. Humanoids that are touched by the vile rain must make a Constitution saving throw against the 9th-level caster's spell save DC or be afflicted with a magical disease that turns them into flesh-starved ghouls within 24 hours. The disease is resistant to all forms of magical healing less powerful than a *heal* spell. The spell does not grant the spellcaster any ability to control the undead created by the spell. These undead can be commanded, rebuked, or turned normally. Similar rituals exist to create other undead of CR 1 or lower, such as dread warriors or Strahd zombies. ### The Ritual of Crucimigration Any living creature that is not a celestial, elemental, fiend, ooze, or plant can petition for consideration to undergo the Ritual of Crucimigration, which (if successful) enables the creature to become a necropolitan. The petition for consideration requires a fee of 3,000 gp and a written plea. The first part of the ritual requires the placement of the petitioner on a standing pole. Cursed nails are used to affix the petitioner, and then the pole is lifted into place. The resultant excruciating pain that shoots like molten metal through the petitioner’s fingers and up the arms is not what finally ends the petitioner’s mortal life, however, since death usually comes from asphyxiation and heart failure. As petitioners feel death’s chill enter their bodies, many have second thoughts, but it is far too late to go back—the cursed nails and chanting of the ritual ensures that the Crucimigration is completed. The ceremony lasts for 24 hours—the usual time it takes for the petitioner to perish. During this period, two or three zombie servitors keep up a chant initiated by the ritual leader when the petitioner is first placed into position. Upon hearing the petitioner’s last breath, the ritual leader calls forth the names of necromantic powers and gods to forge a link with the Negative Energy Plane, and then impales the petitioner. Dying, the petitioner is reborn as a necropolitan, dead but animate. \page
### Dark Speech There exists a language so dire, so inherently full of spite, malice, corruption, and hatred that it is simply called the Dark Speech. This is the secret language of evil gods, so foul and so potent that even demons and devils usually refrain from its use, lest it consume them. Not surprisingly, very few mortals know even a few words of the Dark Speech. But those who do are wise to never underestimate the power of words. The safest way to use the Dark Speech is through spells such as *dread word*. Most characters must take the Dark Speech feat to begin to learn the Dark Speech language. The Dark Speech is extremely difficult to master. The aforementioned feat is required to speak even a single word of it correctly, for mortal tongues were not designed to utter these words of pure evil. Some fiends know smatterings (or more) of the Dark Speech and need no feat to master it. To actually communicate by means of the Dark Speech—that is, for a knowledgeable speaker to convey some information to a knowledgeable listener—the speaker must take great care, or both listener and speaker will be harmed. There are few words in the Dark Speech for good concepts such as kindness, mercy, and purity, and such concepts are given contempt at even the grammatical level. However, one can speak of misery, anguish, hate, and betrayal with an accuracy impossible in any other tongue. ### Plague Walker Creating a plague walker is a relatively simple process, though its cost prevents most spellcasters from producing the creatures in great numbers outside of wartime. Any arcane or divine caster of 6th level or higher who can cast necromancy spells can craft a plague walker. Doing so involves performing a horrific ritual that requires 800 gp worth of unholy water, the corpses of four Medium creatures that died of disease, and two days of prayer. (Two Small corpses are equivalent to one Medium corpse, and one Large body counts as two Medium corpses.) At the end of the ritual, the remains meld into a single plague walker, which obeys its creator’s commands to the best of its ability. A plague walker’s creator can order the creature to obey an underling’s commands, effectively ceding control of the creature. This arrangement makes it possible for armies to field plague walkers under the control of nonspellcasting officers. ### Spellstitched Undead Some powerful necromancers learn the secret of inscribing runes into the flesh or bones of the undead, giving them innate spellcasting. Spellstitching an undead takes 1 hour and consumes an onyx worth 700 gp per (1 + spell level) being scribed (for example, a 3rd level requires a 2800 gp onyx). The one performing the ritual must be able to cast the spells being imbued. No spells can be scribed of 6th level or above. See the table below for the amount of times per day the spell can be cast, and the minimum CR to stitch a spell onto the creature. The levels are cumulative, so an undead who has a 4th-level spell scribed also has a 3rd-level, a 2nd-level, a 1st-level, and a cantrip scribed as well. ##### Spellstitching | Spell Level | Min CR | Times per Day |:-------------|:-------------|:-------------| | Cantrip | — | At will | | 1st | 1 | 4 | 2nd | 2 | 3 | | 3rd | 4 | 3 | | 4th | 6 | 2 | | 5th | 10 | 1 | The process of spellstitching an undead grants it advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. ### Storm of Death One of the mightest and most awful feats of necromancy ever invented, this ritual must occur at the winter solstice, when the light is weakest and the darkness is strongest, or at another auspicious time (such as a conjunction of Mabar in the Eberron setting). The ritual takes 24 hours of incantations by at least three spellcasters with access to 9th-level spells, and requires concentration as if casting a spell. If it is completed, a dreadful storm 40 miles across erupts centered on the casters' position when they finish this ritual. This storm creates rain or snow as appropriate to the current temperature. It also creates the following effects: - All corpses within 20 miles rise as free-willed wights, even if they are buried in areas that would normally prevent them from rising. - All undead within 20 miles gain immunity to being turned as long as the storm persists. However, they can be rebuked normally. - Any living creature walking outside in the dreadful storm must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become a flesh-hungry ghoul (apply the Ghoulish Creature template later in this book to creatures with class levels or non-humanoids). Succeeding on this save grants the creature immunity to this effect for 24 hours. - Any living creature takes 1d8 necrotic damage per minute in the storm. Undead are healed by 1d8 hit points per minute in the storm. - Healing magic (i.e., *cure wounds*) targeting the living is impeded, as if every living creature within range were affected by an *ebon ray of doom* spell. - All damage done by undead within the area of the storm is considered vile damage - All water within range that is contaminated by the rain or snow is rendered nonpotable, causing 3d10 poison damage to any living being that drinks it - Even during daytime, the storm is so intense the affected area is in dim light. All undead adversely affected by sunlight suffer no ill effects within the storm. - All damage done by this storm is vile damage. The storm lasts until the concentration of the casters is broken, or until at least one of them leaves its area. The casters have no protection against the storm's effects. \page
## Dark Gifts The benefits and drawbacks listed below are designed for creating memorable villains and NPCs. ### Dark Gifts... These traits are suitable for necromancer NPCs, but not players. #### Animate Dead by Touch The necromancer can innately cast *animate dead* 3 times a day, requiring no material components. #### Augmented Lifeforce The necromancer gains proficiency in Constitution and death saving throws, and dropping to 0 hit points does not render the necromancer unconscious. Death saves continue to be rolled, and taking damage at 0 hit points has its normal effect. #### Augmented Spellcasting The necromancer can prepare twice as many spells, and has twice as many spell slots. These extra spells and slots must be used to prepare and cast necromancy spells. #### Aura of Fear As a bonus action, the necromancer can raise or lower their 10-foot aura of fear. Each creature of their choice that starts its turn in the aura or that enters it during its turn must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is frightened of the necromancer as long as it remains in the aura. Leaving the aura suppresses the effect, but does not grant immunity if the creature returns. It can repeat its save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. A target that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the necromancer's fear aura for the next 24 hours. #### Bestow Dying Curse When the necromancer has taken at least 1 point of damage from a creature, he or she can bestow a dreadful curse on the offender. This takes no action, but the necromancer must be able to speak to use this ability, and the target must be warned of the dire fate that he or she will face should he or she kill the necromancer. This curse lies in wait until the necromancer dies, at which time it takes effect. No saving throw is allowed against this ability, since the target chose to trigger the curse by killing the necromancer. #### Feed the Dark Gods The necromancer can perform a ritual lasting 8 hours, sacrificing a number of beings with an Int of 8 or higher to create a mighty undead. The amount sacrificed must be equal to 1 + 2 * the undead's CR, and the undead created cannot be a CR of more than twice the necromancer's level. Undead created in this way are not under the necromancer's control. ``` ``` #### Food Corruption As an action, the necromancer exudes a mystical, poisonous radiance that taints food or drink within 10 feet. A creature who eats tainted food must make a Constitution saving throw or take 6d4 poison damage. The necromancer cannot use this ability again until after finishing a short or long rest. Food corrupted in this way radiates a faint necromantic aura. It can be cleansed with *purify food and drink* or *dispel magic*. #### Regeneration The necromancer regains 5 hit points at the start of his or her turns. If the necromancer takes acid or radiant damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the necromancer's next turn. The necromancer dies only if he or she starts his or her turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate. #### Scabrous Touch By touching a living being, the necromancer creates an effect identical to *contagion* on the target. However, he or she cannot choose to suppress this power; it is always active. #### Skull Scry This mighty ability enables the necromancer to see or hear activity through any skull or cadaveric head. The skull or head must not be attached to a spine, nor can it be animated. The necromancer can scry through any disembodied skull or head (at a known location) within fifteen miles. #### Somnolent Gaze When a creature that can see the necromancer’s eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of the necromancer, the necromancer can force it to make a Constitution saving throw if the necromancer isn’t incapacitated and can see the creature. A creature is affected as if by the *slow* spell for 1 minute on a failed save. Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so. it has disadvantage on attack rolls against the necromancer until the start of its next turn. If the creature looks at the necromancer in the meantime, it must immediately make the saving throw. \page
### ...And Their Price The gifts above all cost something. #### Physical Mutation Delving too far into the dark arts might lead to changes in physical form—the price charged by the forces of darkness. Roll on one of the adjacent tables, or pick one that inspires you. | d12 | Mutation 1| |:----:|:-------------| | 1 | All hair permanently turns white or falls out | | 2 | Eyes similar to animal (cat, wolf, or snake) | | 3 | Face resembles that of a particular animal | | 4 | Fingers terminate in wicked talons (1d4 slashing) | | 5 | Oily black fur covers body | | 6 | Hands or feet are misshapen claws or talons | | 7 | Hands turn coal black or blood red | | 8 | Corpselike appearance, easily mistaken for undead | | 9 | 10-foot stench of decay or aura of malevolence | | 10 | Physical age increases by 2d10 years | | 11 | Second mouth appears at base of skull | | 12 | Six-fingered hands | | d12 | Mutation 2 | |:----:|:-------------| | 1 | Skin turns pale blue, like a corpse | | 2 | Small horns on head | | 3 | Smile looks cruel or evil | | 4 | Teeth (or ears) turn long and pointed | | 5 | Pitch-black blood, viscid like tar | | 6 | Tongue becomes black, forked, or serpentine | | 7 | Vestigial bat wings on back | | 8 | Voice sounds evil, low, whispery, or inhuman | | 9 | Lose all teeth | | 10 | Three-foot-long tail | | 11 | Blind extra eye somewhere on body | | 12 | Eyes melt away, leaving empty sockets that can still see | ``` ``` #### Unholy Compulsions Additionally, sometimes the dark gods place compulsions or curses on their worshippers. | d20 | Compulsion or Curse | |:----:|:-------------| | 1 | Blinded when in sunlight | | 2 | Must drink 1 liter of fresh blood a day or dies | | 3 | Must eat 1 lb of corpse flesh a day or dies | | 4 | Must eat 1 lb of earth and stone a day or dies | | 5 | Must eat 1 lb of uncooked meat a day or dies | | 6 | Must kill a sentient individual once a week or dies | | 7 | Hates all of the living (only has undead, construct, or extraplanar allies) | | 8 | Howls under the night sky or at moon 1/day or goes mad | | 9 | Prepares spells at a font of blood in an underground chamber | | 10 | Murders anyone who says a certain word, even friends | | 11 | Never speaks the truth | | 12 | Seeks revenge for the slightest insult | | 13 | Sheds own blood 1/day (1d8 damage) | | 14 | Sleeps in a tomb or open grave | | 15 | Withers all plants within 10 feet when casting a spell | | 16 | Takes 1d6 radiant damage from contact with iron or steel | | 17 | Takes 1d6 radiant damage from contact with freshly cut wood | | 18 | Takes 1d6 radiant damage from contact with silver or gold | | 19 | Takes 2d6 radiant damage from holy water | | 20 | Cannot heal without dealing equal damage to another creature | \page
## Terrain ### Wilderness Hazards #### Abyssal Blackgrass Patches of this thick black weed often spread through planar portals or through tiny seeds inadvertently carried in the clothing or gear of planar travelers. When it takes root on the Material Plane, abyssal blackgrass grows in a small clump about one foot across, although its roots spread in a 50-foot radius just under the surface of the ground. Natural healing is impossible within 50 feet (in any direction) of a clump of abyssal blackgrass. Even magical healing is impaired, restoring only half the normal number of hit points. Pulling up a clump of blackgrass does not kill it or negate its baleful effect, and the grass regrows in 1d4 days. Only digging up the entire root system—or destroying the plant with a *blight* or similar spell—can prevent it from regrowing. #### Black Sand Mundane volcanic lands sometimes feature black sand composed of ground-up cinders. Other than its striking color, such sand is no different from any other. However, magical black sand is a vile peril, whether on the scoured surface of Minethys in the Tarterian Depths of Carceri (where the Plane of Shadow overlays the Elemental Plane of Earth) or in lands cursed by foul magic. Black sand is infused with shadowstuff and negative energy. Created by the *blank sand* spell but also found naturally in some deserts, black sand is beloved by undead and necromancers. The black sand emits magical darkness rising to a height of 20 feet over the surface. Nothing short of a *sunburst* spell can dispel this magical darkness, and even then only for 24 hours. Undead with darkvision can see through this darkness as if it were nonmagical. When a living creature enters the spell’s area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, that creature takes 2d4 necrotic damage (no save). Those reduced to 0 hit points crumble into black sand themselves. Undead are instead healed by 2d4 hit points at the start of their turn. #### Blood Rock In certain places, the very essence of war and violence suffuses the earth or stone. Found naturally in ancient battlefields and certain outer planes, blood rock causes weapons to strike harder, claws to tear deeper, and blood to flow more freely. Any attack made against a creature standing on blood rock scores a critical hit on a roll or 19 or 20. #### Charnel Bog Often formed at the sites of great battles where water has come in to cover the wasted land, charnel bogs are both horrible and deadly. Pale grasses grow on desolate islands in the midst of these bogs, but no living animals inhabit charnel bogs. A charnel bog can be any size, and a *detect evil and good spell* cast within range reveals its presence. Such an aura of death pervades a charnel bog that certain magic is impeded within its borders. Characters attempting to cast a spell with that restores hit points to another creature must make a spellcasting ability check (DC 10 + spell level) or lose the spell with no effect. All undead within the charnel bog have advantage against being turned, but disadvantage against being rebuked. This is an exception to the normal rule that any source of turn resistance also helps against being rebuked. Characters camping within a charnel bog find their sleep troubled by nightmares. They are unable to rest properly, and they regain no hit points from their night spent in the bog. Finally, characters whose travels take them on long treks through a charnel bog find it sapping their will and even robbing them of their desire to leave the place. They experience increasing apathy and despair, a dulling of their senses, and a growing feeling of paranoia. At the conclusion of every week spent in a charnel bog, any living creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 10 + the number of consecutive weeks spent in the bog). Failure indicates that the character has lost all will to continue on their journey. They cannot leave the bog of their own volition and have no desire to do so. All memories of their previous life slowly fade into nothingness, and a *wish* spell is required to return the character to normal. #### Consecrated Ground Some cemeteries and catacombs are imbued with the unseen traces of ancient good. An area of consecrated ground can be any size, and a *detect evil and good spell* cast within range reveals its presence. Undead standing on consecrated ground have disadvantage on all saving throws. A vial of unholy water purifies a 10-foot-square area of consecrated ground when sprinkled on it, and a *hallow* spell purifies consecrated ground within its area. #### Deadsand An insidious danger in a necromantic bog is the threat of deadsand. While functionally similar to quicksand, deadsand also has a negative energy effect that deals 3d6 points of necrotic damage per round, and reduces the creature's maximum hit points by the same amount. To make matters worse, undead lurk in deadsand, grappling creatures trapped in the bog. \page
#### Deadwood Ghostly gray timber spotted with tiny flecks of red, deadwood is created near sites where great necromantic energy has been released. Any trees nearby soon die and leave behind this frail wood. All undead creatures standing on deadwood do an extra die of damage with their attacks, spells, and abilities. #### Ebony Ice Like any ice, ebony ice is slippery. It's also charged with negative energy, granting undead advantage on attack rolls, and advantage on saves against being turned or rebuked. #### Night Stone This stone is infused with raw negative energy. A living creature that enters within 5 feet of a floor, wall, or statue formed of night stone, or starts its turn there, takes 1d6 points of necrotic damage. Undead are instead healed for this amount. #### Witch Grass Any creature casting an arcane spell within 30 feet of witch grass must make a DC 14 spellcasting ability check. On a failure, the spell is lost. #### Zone of the Unliving Much like an *antilife shell*, only undead and constructs can enter this zone. ### Nonmagical Terrain #### Snow Fields Fields of deep snow can impede the movement of creatures who must be in contact with the ground to move. Most creatures do not automatically sink all the way through a deep snow cover. Sometimes a hard, icy crust prevents a creature’s feet from sinking into the snow at all. In other cases, layers of old snow a few inches or feet below the loose surface on top may be icy enough to prevent travelers from breaking through. The table below indicates the degree of impediment caused by various depths of loose, uncrusted snow. The “Small” category includes Small and smaller creatures, while the “Huge” category includes Huge and larger creatures. ##### Snow-Impeded Movement | Snow Depth | Small | Medium | Large | Huge | |:-------------|:-------------|:-------------|:-------------|:-------------| | Up to 6 inches | Minor | None | None | None | | 7-12 inches | Minor | Minor | None | None | | 13-24 inches | Major | Minor | Minor | None | | 25-36 inches | Major | Major | Minor | Minor | | 37-60 inches | Total | Major | Major | Minor | 61-96 inches | Total | Total | Major | Major | | 97+ inches | Total | Total | Total | Major | **None:** The snow does not cause any significant impediment to the creature’s movement. **Minor:** The snow is difficult terrain for that creature. **Major:** The creature must spend 4 feet of movement for every 1 foot it moves in the snow. The creature has disadvantage on Acrobatics checks. **Total:** The creature cannot move unless it succeeds on a DC 5 Athletics check. The creature must spend 8 feet of movement for every 1 foot it moves in the snow. The creature has disadvantage on Acrobatics checks and Dexterity saving throws. ##### Temperature Bands | Temperature Band | Range | |:----:|:-------------| | Unearthly cold | –51º F or lower | | Extreme cold | –50º F to –21º F | | Severe cold | –20º F to 0º F | | Cold | 1º F to 40º F | | Moderate | 41º F to 60º F | | Warm | 61º F to 90º F | | Hot |91º F to 110º F | | Severe heat | 111º F to 140º F | | Extreme heat | 141º F to 180º F | | Unearthly heat | 181º F to 210º F | | Burning heat | 211º F or higher | #### Buried in Snow A buried creature can free itself with a DC 25 Strength check, or can be dug out by other creatures. In 1 minute, using only its hands, a creature can clear ice and debris equal to five times its carrying capacity. The amount of tightly packed snow that fills a 5-foot-by-5-foot area weighs 500 pounds. Armed with an appropriate tool, such as a pick, crowbar, or shovel, a digger can clear loose ice and debris twice as quickly as by hand. The snow avalanche extinguishes all flames, whether normal or magical, it touches. > *It is said that the lich knows every stone in his infernal hold, and that any who dare to enter provoke his wrath. He can stroll through traps that would crush any other, and glide through the darkness while calling out doom. That dungeon is his domain, his home, and there is no way to defeat him in its halls.* > >—From the tale of Virdangast \page
## Diseases A favored weapon of certain undead, these diseases are compiled from various sources. They are usually listed in the monster description as well for ease of access. #### Ash Doom Ash doom is notable in that not only do undead carry it, they are susceptible to it as well. It can be acquired by contact with the plaguelost, or by breathing certain necromantically charged ashes. Its supernatural nature allows it to even afflict paladins, dread necromancers, and others who are normally immune to disease. A creature who comes into contract with those ashes must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or contract it. Those afflicted have their skin turn flakey and ash-colored, and green light shines through from beneath. They have their Constitution score reduced by 1d4 at the end of each long rest. *Remove curse* combined with *lesser restoration* or another source of disease removal removes the disease. *Greater restoration* can remove this reduction and end the disease at once. A creature, living or undead, that dies while under this disease becomes a plaguelost. #### Bloodskin This sickness is typically caused by the *bleeding disease* spell. It causes its victims to lightly bleed from many small sores. The overall loss of blood is minimal but sufficiently spread out so as to create the appearance that a victim is bleeding from every pore in its skin. This sickness deals 1 point of piercing damage 12 hours in and every 24 hours following. #### Bonefire A creature infected with bonefire (DC 19) immediately has its Charisma and Constitution scores reduced by 1d4, and must make a new save for every 24 hours that pass. Success means the disease ends; failure means it continues. A creature reduced to 0 Constitution dies; one reduced to 0 Charisma is stunned until it regains at least 1 point of Charisma. Victims of bonefire break into fevers as their bones pulsate with light and heat. They stink of cooked flesh, and their skeletons become visible from within their blistering bodies after two hours (unless the victim is treated effectively). Bonefire is highly contagious and is also transmitted by physical contact. Anyone who touches a person or creature diseased with bonefire (whether victims are alive or dead) must make a Constitution save (DC 19) or catch the disease. A dead body remains infected with bonefire for a week after its death, whereupon the skeleton finally burns out in a spectacular flash of light. If at any time 18 or more bodies infected with bonefire are located within 30 feet of each other, the bodies rapidly meld together, as if drawn by a fell telekinesis, to a point at the center of the spread. Over the course of only 1 round, the bodies bind together and form a boneworm with a number of Hit Dice equal to half the number of bodies that formed it. #### Corpse Bloat Spread by tomb motes, this disgusting disease causes a creature's body to puff up, turn green, and makes movement painful. A creature who comes into contact with it might make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or become infected. At the end of each long rest, an afflicted creature must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution save or its Dexterity score is reduced by 1d4. A successful save restores 1d4 Dexterity. The disease is cured when all Dexterity returns. A creature with its Dexterity reduced to 0 is paralyzed until it regains at least 1 point of Dexterity. #### Dripping Decay When hit by a bonespitter's attacks, a creature must succeed at a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with dripping decay. The cursed target's hit point maximum decreases by 2 (1d4) for every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and its body turns to slime. 1 round later, it rises as a free-willed bonespitter. The curse lasts until removed by the remove curse spell or other magic. #### Gangrenous Touch Generally only spread by plague blights, a creature must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become infected. The diseased target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw save at the start of each of its turns. On a failure, its hit point maximum decreases by 17 (5d6). If the disease reduces the target's hit point maximum to 0, the target dies. The disease lasts until removed by the *lesser restoration* spell, *remove curse*, or other magic, or until the diseased creature makes two consecutive saves. #### Huecuva Blight Named for the huecuvas who carry it, a creature who comes into contact with one must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with huecuva blight. The cursed target's Strength and Constitution scores each decrease by 1d2 points for every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target's Strength score to 0, the target is paralyzed until it regains at least 1 point of Strength. If the curse reduces the target's Constitution score to 0, the target dies, and its body turns to dust. The curse lasts until removed by the *remove curse* spell or other magic. #### Life Blindness This very rare disease is spread by vilewights. A creature is allowed a DC 16 Constitution saving throw to avoid becoming infected. If it does become infected, for the first 24 hours, the infected victim feels like the world is becoming more bleak and empty. After 24 hours have passed, the victim loses all ability to perceive living creatures, even plants. All such beings are treated as invisible, silent, and odorless. This disease typically causes extreme loneliness and despair. #### Mummy Rot When hit by a mummy's fist, the creature must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with mummy rot. The cursed target can't regain hit points, and its hit point maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target's hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and its body turns to dust. The curse lasts until removed by the *remove curse* spell or other magic. \page
#### Pale Wasting This grim disease carried by slaymates sucks away a victim's very lifeforce, eventually turning them to dust. Symptoms include very pale skin, a nihilistic worldview, and fatigue. At the end of each long rest, a creature must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. A failed save increases the creature's exhaustion level by 1. Resting does not remove this exhaustion. A successful save only means the condition does not worsen. If a creature's exhaustion reaches 6, it dies and its body crumbles to fine dust as per disintegrate. After 3 successful saving throws, which do not have to be consecutive, the disease is cured completely. #### Zombie Plague Most commonly acquired by the *animate infectious zombie* disease, zombie plague is a dreadful affliction that turns the living undead. A humanoid that is hit by an infectious zombie's slam attack must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become infected. One day after infection, the creature's flesh begins to die. After 24 hours, the creature must make a second Constitution saving throw. On a success, it has shaken off the disease. On a failure, its Constitution score is reduced by 1d6. It repeats the save each subsequent 24 hours that pass, curing itself on a success. If the creature's Constitution score is reduced to 0, it dies and immediately rises as a zombie, transmitting the disease to any creature it hits with its Slam attack. \page
## Cursed Weather Created by dark gods, especially powerful fiends, and other entities of darkness, cursed weather is a truly awful manifestation of magic. ### Violet Rain Always accompanied by a terrible thunderstorm filled with lightning, violet rain brings portents of great evil. Once violet rain begins to fall, all connection with divine agencies is severed for 24 hours. Divine spellcasters have no access to spells, divine spell effects are suppressed, and divinely infused magic items cease to function. When violet rain comes, leaders of temples often hire extra help to safeguard the temple while they are bereft of magic. Because violet rain is so disruptive, religious leaders sometimes use divinations and prophecies to gain as much warning as they can. A typical violet rainstorm covers 1d10×200 square miles. ### Green Fog Clouds of dark greenish mist roll across the countryside. The fog perverts any living thing it touches, twisting and mutating flesh. Any creature touched by the mist must succeed at a Constitution save (DC 17) or become polymorphed into a random creature (use the *reincarnate* spell to determine which creature, or select a creature from a relevant wilderness encounter list in Xanathar's Guide to Everything). The fog usually encompasses an area of 1d3 square miles, lasts for 10d6 minutes, and moves at a speed of 30 feet. ### Plague of Nettles Tiny organic thorns fall from the sky. Those caught in this brief rainfall take 1d2 points of piercing damage each round, unless they can get under some sort of shelter. The nettles that strike soil burrow into the ground and sprout thick, choking weeds that kill whole fields of crops in a few minutes. A plague of nettles is violent enough to tear up and choke a forest in just a day. One week after the nettles fall, the area is thick with animate, dangerous plants such as **assassin vines**, **blights**, and **shambling mounds**. This malevolent rainfall spreads across 3d6 square miles and lasts for 3d6 rounds. ### Rain of Blood This horrible event can occur as part of a regular thunderstorm or all on its own. Blood pours down in thick drops for 2d10 minutes, coating everything in a dark red, sticky mess. Any living nonevil creature in the area of the rain must succeed at a Wisdom save (DC 17) or suffer the effects of a *bane* spell for 1d4 days. Undead of any alignment in the area of the rain gain the benefits of *bless* for 1d4 days. A rain of blood covers 5d6 square miles. ### Rain of Frogs or Fish This preternatural rain causes 1d3 points of bludgeoning damage per round to anyone not under shelter. The thousands of animals that fall from the sky usually die from the impact, but 1 in 20 lives to hop or flop about at least briefly, adding a further alien strangeness to the event. The rain lasts 2d6 rounds and covers an area of 2d6 square miles. \page
## Special Equipment & Rewards ### Magic Items #### Azan-Gund (Night Caller) *Wondrous item, rare* This whistle is carved from rare transparent iron (nephclium), and it resembles a small dragon curled up like a snail. The name *Azan-gund* is etched on the whistle in Dwarven runes. When the whistle is blown over a grave in darkness or at night, one corpse below animates as a **zombie** and claws its way out (if interred in soft earth or under loose stones). The zombie serves the whistler faithfully until it is destroyed. A bearer can use the whistle once per week; however, the whistler can acquire no more than two zombie followers at any one time using *Azan-gund*. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (History) check reveals that ancient «dark» dwarves made several such whistles for various groups in an age past. #### Bagpipes of the Damned *Wondrous item, rare* You must be proficient with the bagpipes to use these bagpipes. When played, the bagpipes help bolster undead. As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, all undead of your choice within 30 feet of you have advantage on saving throws against being turned or rebuked. A creature must be able to hear you to gain this benefit. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it (no action required). #### Bloodfeeding Weapon *Weapon (any), uncommon or rare (requires attunement)* This weapon has a blood-red tint. Every time a bloodfeeding weapon deals damage to a living creature, it gains 1 “blood point,” which it can store for up to 1 hour. The weapon can store a maximum of 10 blood points. This effect is continuous and requires no activation. When you deal damage to a creature while wielding a bloodfeeding weapon, you can activate the weapon to spend up to 5 stored blood points. Each blood point you spend in this way deals an extra 1d4 points of damage to that creature. The weapon doesn’t gain any blood points from a strike on which you use this ability. The following *bloodfeeding weapon* variants are rare items and have additional properties. ***Bodyfeeding.*** When this weapon scores a critical hit, you gain temporary hit points equal to the critical damage done. ***Cursespewing.*** When this weapon scores a critical hit, the target immediately takes the effects of a *bestow curse* spell that lasts for 1 minute. You choose which curse. #### Bloodsweets *Potion, common* These red lozenges are about the size of a human thumbnail and resemble hard candies. Made from sugar and blood and charged with negative energy, the item dissolves instantly. If an undead creature swallows one of these, it immediately regains 2d4 + 2 hit points. If a living creature swallows one, it takes 2d4 +2 necrotic damage. Some particularly cruel necromancers mix these in with bags of normal candy and give them to children. #### Bone Ring *Ring, rare (requires attunement)* This plain finger ring is always carved from human bone. The ring has 3 charges, and it regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn. While worn, you can expend a charge to negate any curse, disease, maximum HP reduction, or ability score reduction you would suffer, or convert any vile damage you take into normal damage. You can also expend a charge to gain advantage on a saving throw against a necromancy spell. #### Candle of Icy Death *Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)* This black candle is 1 foot tall, 12 inches thick, and icy to the touch. When lit, the flame burns a pale blue, gives off no smoke or heat, and doesn't melt down. If examined with *detect magic,* the candle radiates a necromantic aura. Every minute that the candle burns reduces the temperature by 1° in a 20-foot-diameter area until 0° Fahrenheit is reached. In addition, the candle prevents any healing, natural or magical, from occurring in its range. A wounded creature inside the area does not regain any lost hit points, and healing spells targeting a creature inside the area automatically fail (but are considered cast). Once lit, the candle can be snuffed only by a *bless* spell, which immediately ends your attunement. It can still be reignited normally afterwards, once you reattune. The temperature of the area returns to the regular temperature at a normal rate. #### Chain of Bones *Weapon (spiked chain), rare (requires attunement)* This *+1 spiked chain* has a fearsome power over the undead. After hitting an undead with it, you can forgo dealing damage and instead force the undead to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it is stunned for 1 minute. It can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns. #### Cloak of Turn Resistance *Wondrous item, uncommon* While wearing this cloak, you gain advantage against being turned or rebuked. #### Cloak of Turn Defiance *Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)* While wearing this cloak, you cannot be turned or rebuked. All undead of your choice within 30 feet gain advantage against being turned or rebuked. #### Consumptive *Weapon (any melee), rare (requires attunement)* This weapon is dark in color, and its blade or head is full of menacing runes. You can use a bonus action to speak this magic weapon's command word, causing crackling black energy to encase it. While the weapon is encased in this way, it deals an extra 1d12 necrotic damage. The necrotic energy lasts until you use a bonus action to speak the command word again or until you drop or sheathe the weapon. \page
#### Dagger of Shadows *Weapon (dagger), uncommon (requires attunement)* The dagger is made of shiny black iron, and can be used as a magical weapon. You can cast *minor illusion* at will as long as you hold it (DC 13), and you can cast *invisibility* on yourself once. You regain the ability to cast *invisibility* at the next dawn. #### Drums of the Dead *Wondrous item, rare* You must be proficient with drums to use these drums. When played, the drums quicken undead. As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, all undead of your choice within 30 feet of you have their movement speed doubled. A creature must be able to hear you to gain this benefit. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it (no action required). #### Ghast Salve *Wondrous item, uncommon* This glass jar, 3 inches in diameter, contains 1d3 doses of a thick mixture that smells dreadful. The jar and its contents weigh 1/2 pound. As an action, one dose of the ointment can be applied to the skin. The creature that receives it gains immunity to paralysis and the stench of ghasts. As an action, the creature can touch another creature, forcing the second creature to make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be affected as if by *ghoul touch.* This salve lasts 1 hour. #### Ghost Net *Weapon (net), rare* This gossamer-thin, translucent netting functions like a net. When thrown upon a creature that lacks the Incorporeal Movement trait, it is in all ways an ordinary net, except dealing 5 slashing damage to the net just renders it inert and useless for 1 hour, at which time it mends itself. When thrown upon a creature that has the Incorporeal Movement traits, the net restrains the creature normally, even if the creature is normally immune to being restained. It requires a DC 15 Strength check to break out of, and for the duration, the creature loses the benefit of that trait while entangled. If it possesses the Etherealness action, it cannot use that action for the duration. For the duration, it also loses any resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage, or to bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage from nonmagical attacks. Finally, for the duration, the creature loses any immunity to being grappled, prone, or restrained it possessed. #### Ghost Shroud *Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)* A *ghost shroud* appears as a winding cloth in which the body is wrapped, as if for burial. The shroud sometimes appears, appropriately enough, ghostly and partially translucent. You gain these benefits while wearing the robe: - If you aren't wearing armor, your base Armor Class is 14 + your Dexterity modifier. - You have resistance to cold damage. As an action, you can become like a ghost yourself. You gain the following trait for 1 minute: ***Incorporeal Movement.*** You can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. You take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn inside an object. You also gain the following action option for the same duration: ***Etherealness.*** You enter the Border Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. You are visible on the Material Plane while you are in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet you can't affect or be affected by anything on the other plane. #### Ghoul Gauntlets *Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)* These mottled gloves virtually meld with your own flesh, making your hands appear gaunt and rotting. While wearing the gauntlets, you can cast *ghoul touch* (DC 14, +6 to hit) at will. Furthermore, once per turn, when you hit with an unarmed strike, slam, claw, or similar natural attack, you can immediately cast *ghoul touch* (no action required). If you die while wearing *ghoul gauntlets*, they revert to their normal appearance. #### Ghoul-Light Lantern *Wondrous item, rare* These eldritch lanterns are used by true ghouls to light their cities and to augment their undead minds. Although they can see in the dark, they find the necromantic green glow of the ghoul-light comforting. Living flesh illuminated by ghoul-light feels strangely cold and clammy, while undead within the light feel more energetic. While lit, the lantern burns a sickly green glow for 6 hours on 1 pint of oil, shedding bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. Invisible creatures and objects are visible as long as they are in the lantern's bright light. You can use an action to lower the hood, reducing the light to dim light in a 5-foot radius. You can also use an action to lower the filter, rendering the light invisible to non-undead. All creatures within the lantern's bright light have disadvantage on saving throws against ghoul paralysis, and all undead within it have advantage against being turned or rebuked. An undead who starts its turn within the bright light gains a +10 bonus to its speed until the end of its turn. #### Glaive of the Leech *Weapon (glaive), rare (requires attunement)* All slashing damage you do with this *+1 glaive* is returned to you as healing. #### Hood of Awful Revelation *Wondrous item, uncommon* As a bonus action, you can gain truesight out to 120 feet, and can see onto the ethereal plane for the same radius. This bolstered vision lasts until the end of your next turn. The hood regains this power daily at dawn. ***Curse.*** The secrets the hood reveal are not for mortals to know. Once the truesight ends, if the hood revealed anything, you must make a DC 13 Intelligence save. You are blinded for 1 minute on a failure, and *confused* for the same duration if your save failed by 5 or more. You can repeat the save at the end of each of your turns, ending the effect on a success. \page
#### Kyuss Vestige Worm, Loreworm *Wondrous item, rare* A loreworm looks like any other Tiny Kyuss worm, save for faintly glowing blue bands of color that ring its body at even intervals. For as long as a host creature is bound to a loreworm, the pupils of its eyes change and writhe through a variety of rune-like shapes. While you have the Kyuss worm inside you, you add twice your proficiency bonus to checks made with one Intelligence skill (chosen by the DM). If you fail a check with that skill, you can reroll it. You must use the new roll, and this consumes the worm, destroying it. > ##### Vestige Worms > >While Kyuss lived as a mortal, he ever craved more power, but as his power grew, so to did his need to protect what might and lore he had already gathered. To ward himself against power-hungry rivals and heroes bent on ending his tyrannical rule, the mortal Kyuss transformed the green worms that had brought him so much success into vessels for storing magical might. > >Vestige worms, as these storage vessels came to be known, can store a wide variety of magical effects, but all have certain similarities. They are living creatures (Tiny aberrations, AC 6, 1 hp) and can be killed like normal worms, but they are also magic items. There are three specific types of vestige worms: spellworms, loreworms, and vision worms. > > Successfully hosting a vestige worm requires nothing more than placing the worm next to unprotected flesh and allowing it to burrow in (dealing 1 hit point of piercing damage). Once inside you, the vestige worm attempts to exert control over you. You must succeed at a DC 17 Wisdom save or fall under the sway of the worm's mental control. If the saving throw is successful, you master the worm and can access its power. If the worm gains control of you, it forces you to seek out followers of Kyuss and follow their will. > > >Vestige worms are almost never bought and sold, and instead are found only in long-forgotten places where Kyuss held power. The listed values of the vestige worms are included only to provide the DM with a sense of their relative power to other magic items and their effect on character wealth by level. #### Kyuss Vestige Worm, Spellworm *Wondrous item, varies* A *spellworm* looks like any other Tiny Kyuss worm, save for faintly glowing arcane sigils that adorn its sickening flesh. For as long as a host creature is bound to a spellworm, its pupils turn a dull and sickly green. Casting the spell by consuming the spellworm requires the spell’s normal casting time, but no other components. Once the spell is cast, the worm withers to nothing. If the casting is interrupted, the worm is not lost. ##### Spellworm | Spell Level | Rarity | Save DC | Attack Bonus | |:-------------|:-------------|:----:|:----:| | Cantrip | Common | 13 | +5 | | 1st | Common | 13 | +5 | | 2nd | Uncommon | 13 | +5 | | 3rd | Uncommon | 15 | +7 | | 4th | Rare | 15 | +7 | | 5th | Rare | 17 | +9 | | 6th | Very rare | 17 | +9 | | 7th | Very rare | 18 | +10 | | 8th | Very rare | 18 | +10 | | 9th | Very rare | 19 | +11 | #### Kyuss Vestige Worm, Visionworm *Wondrous item, uncommon* A visionworm looks like any other Tiny Kyuss worm, save for two faintly glowing red ovals, vaguely reminiscent of eyes, on the creature’s back. For as long as a host creature is bound to a visionworm, the pupils of its eyes turn a lusterless gray color. While you have the visionworm inside you, you can take an action to see the memory stored in it. #### Kyuss Worm Paste *Wondrous item, uncommon* This cup-sized container of bad-smelling greenish-brown paste renders a creature immune to the green worms of a spawn of Kyuss. Any worm from a spawn (or similar worm attacks, such as slow worms) dies instantly if it touches a creature protected by the paste. Applying the paste is an action and lasts 1 hour. Each cup of paste can protect one creature. If the container is thrown at a spawn (as *holy water*), it automatically destroys all worms on it, just as if *remove curse* had been used. #### Living Mask *Wondrous item, uncommon* This mask works only when worn by an undead creature. Each mask provides an illusion that the wearer is alive, albeit a living person wearing a theater mask and clad in fine clothing. The undead appear alive not only to the senses, but also to spells and abilities such as Divine Sense and *glyphs of warding*. Additionally, *living masks* do not project a magic aura while being worn (unworn masks do). The illusion immediately ends if the mask is removed. #### Lyre of the Restful Soul *Wondrous item, rare* You must be proficient with the lyre to use this lyre. When played, the lyre makes undead more vulnerable to influence. As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, all undead of your choice within 30 feet of you have disadvantage on saving throws against being turned or rebuked. A creature must be able to hear you to suffer this penalty. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it (no action required). \page
> ##### Kyuss's Slow Worms > > While the spawn of Kyuss carry green worms that rapidly convert other creatures into spawn, the obvious zombie-like nature of the spawn makes it hard for them to reach large population areas because they’re easily spotted. Additionally, these worms cannot penetrate the hides of creatures with high natural armor. However, there is a different kind of worm—the “slow worm”—that works more slowly and subtly, taking days or even weeks to convert its host and revealing its presence only at the last minute. > > Infection happens when a host creature swallows a slow worm. The worm begins to multiply within the host’s body, slowly taking over healthy flesh. An infected host must succeed at a DC 15 Constitution saving throw every day or its maximum decreases by 10 (3d6). When the creature’s maximum hit points reach 0, it dies and rises as a spawn of Kyuss 1 minute later. Until the host becomes a spawn, its worms cannot survive exposure to air; if the host dies from some other cause before the worms kill it, the worms crawl out of the dead host one round later and expire. > > Slow worms can enter an indefinite hibernation state if kept in liquid, awakening when they enter warm flesh. Worshipers of Kyuss are known to hide the worms in potions, wine bottles, and beer barrels, hoping to infect large numbers of victims with the worms and causing a horrible outbreak of spawn when the hosts succumb to the infection. If the worm is in a dark or opaque liquid or container, a creature drinking it must succeed at a DC 20 Perception check to realize they’ve swallowed something solid (the Perception check is DC 10 if the worm is visible within the container), otherwise they are unaware of the infection. > > Anything that kills or delays a normal spawn worm has the same effect on a slow worm. Other variants of Kyuss worms exist as well, including some capable of creating more powerful spawn that retain their abilities from life in undeath, and others capable of creating the horrific creatures known as the worms that walk. Old masters such as Dragotha know these secret techniques. > > A kyuss slow worm costs about 75 gold, but are virtually never for sale. One can also be made with access to a normal worm, 25 gp of ingrediants, and a DC 25 check with alchemist's tools. A failure kills the worm (so most brewers have plenty). #### Minor Wand of Orcus *Wand, very rare (requires attunement)* This is a far inferior copy of the mythical *wand of Orcus*, made by the demon lord for his loyal followers. Any creature besides Orcus or a follower blessed by him that tries to attune to the wand must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 10d6 necrotic damage, or half on a successful save. If this damage reduces the creature to 0 hit points, it dies and rises as a zombie. In the hands of one who is attuned to it, the wand can be wielded as a magic mace that grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. The wand deals an extra 1d12 necrotic damage on a hit. The wand has 7 charges. While holding it, you can use an action and expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells (+8 to hit, save DC 16) from it: *animate dead* (3 charges), *clutch of orcus* (3 charges), or *inflict wounds* (1 charge per spell level). The wand regains 1d4 + 3 expended charges daily at dawn. While attuned to the wand, Orcus or a follower blessed by him can cast each of the wand's spells using 1 fewer charges (minimum of 0). #### Mummy Tower *Armor (tower shield), rare (requires attunement)* *This tower shield is partially swathed in the funerary wrappings of a mummy. Atop it is a crest modeled to depict the creature’s horrifying, unwrapped visage.* You can use an action to cast the *fear* spell from it (DC 15), requiring no components. Any creature that fails its save by 5 or more is paralyzed until the end of your next turn. Once *fear* is cast through the shield, it can't be used again in this way until the next midnight. #### Nightforged Weapon *Weapon (any), rare* A weapon with this special ability was made from black rock quarried in a locale sacred to the god Tharizdun. Creatures who die with unhealed wounds from a nightforged weapon cannot be brought back from the dead by any means short of a *true resurrection* or *wish*. Ranged weapons bestow this power on their ammunition. #### Nightstick *Rod, rare (requires attunement by a cleric or dread necromancer)* When turning or rebuking undead, the maximum CR you can destroy with Turn Undead or control with Rebuke Undead doubles. The number of undead you can control is unaffected. #### Nycoptic Manuscripts *Wondrous item, rare* These twin papyrus scrolls are inscribed with ancient tales and cryptic prophecies by an anonymous, almost-certainly-insane author. You must spend 80 hours reading and studying the scrolls to digest their contents and gain their benefit. Once you have done so, you can reference the Nycoptic Manuscripts whenever you make an Intelligence check to recall information about some aspect of necromancy or the undead, such as lore about ghosts. When you do so, double your proficiency bonus on that check. #### Opal of Consecration *Wondrous item, rare* You can cast the *sacred flame* cantrip while holding this pearl. Charisma is your spellcasting ability. As an action, you bless the land around yourself. All terrain within 20 feet of the opal is considered to be consecrated ground for 1 minute. This effects moves with it, centered on it. One you use this power, you cannot use it again until the next midnight. \page
#### Opal of Desecration *Wondrous item, rare* You can cast the *chill touch* cantrip while holding this pearl. Charisma is your spellcasting ability. As an action, you curse the land around yourself. All terrain within 20 feet of the opal is considered to be desecrated ground for 1 minute. This effects moves with it, centered on it. One you use this power, you cannot use it again until the next midnight. #### Powder of the Black Veil *Wondrous item, uncommon* You can throw a pellet of this powder to a point within 30 feet, or use it as a sling bullet. In either case, when it hits or lands, it explodes into a 10-foot-radius cloud of powder. Every creature within the radius must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is blinded while it remains in the cloud of powder. After it exits, it can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. The cloud remains for 1 minute, or until blown apart by a strong wind. Typically, 1d4+1 pellets are found together. #### Preserving Box *Wondrous item, common* This box is 8 feet by 4 feet by 3 feet. Any dead organic matter placed within will not decay while it remains inside. When taken out, it resumes decaying. #### Rod of Animated Dead *Rod, very rare (requires attunement)* This rod lets you spend 1 charge an action to animate all corpses or piles of bones within 30 feet as **zombies** or **skeletons** respectively. The rod has 7 charges and regains 1d6 + 1 daily at midnight. ***Curse.*** All undead created by this rod are uncontrolled, and in fact target you above all other targets. They are also immune to being charmed or frightened, and have Turn Resistance. #### Rod of Undead Mastery *Rod, very rare (requires attunement by a dread necromancer)* The amount of undead you can control with Rebuke Undead becomes twice of (your Cha mod + your dread necromancer) level. #### Runestaff of Necromancy *Staff, rare (requires attunement by a spellcaster)* You automatically have the following spells prepared, and they don't count against your maximum to prepare: - *blindness/deafness* - *blight* - *cause fear* - *circle of death* - *enervation* - *halt undead* #### Runestaff of the Undying *Staff, uncommon (requires attunement by a spellcaster)* You automatically have the following spells prepared, and they don't count against your maximum to prepare: - *animate dead* - *create undead* - *undead creation* #### Runestaff of the Undead Slayer *Staff, rare (requires attunement by a spellcaster)* You can cast *disrupt undead* at will. You also automatically have the following spells prepared, and they don't count against your maximum to prepare: - *bone chill* - *bone talisman* - *death ward* - *identify undead* - *sheltered vitality* - *sunbeam* #### Sacred Ofuda *Wondrous item, uncommon* This small strip of paper has prayers written on it that are powerful against undead. When touched to the forehead of an undead creature, the sacred ofuda adheres to the creature and immobilizes it, as the *halt undead* spell. When you are grappling the creature, you can make another grapple check against it. On a success, you attach the ofuda. The effect lasts as long as the ofuda remains attached, but even a moderate wind can cause the ofuda to fall off the creature’s forehead. If the undead creature takes any amount of damage, the ofuda falls off and the effect ends. \page
#### Scale of Dragotha *Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement)* This crimson scale once belonged to the legendary dracolich himself. As long as you have the scale on your person, you are immune to having your maximum HP reduced. As long as you are attuned, you also gain the following benefits: - You are immune to having your ability scores reduced. - All necrotic damage you take instead heals you for a like amount. - You can cast *sending* at will, but only targeting Dragotha. #### Scrolls of Uncertain Provenance *Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)* *This bundle of rough parchment contains scraps of varying shapes and sizes; some appear old and others new. It is bound with a braided cord and secured with a medallion bearing the holy symbol of Wee Jas.* *Scrolls of uncertain provenance* are not spells stored in written form, but collections of death-obsessed writings in an unknown hand. Popular myth holds that those who can command the lore contained in a set of these scrolls have power over life and death. As long as you possess *scrolls of uncertain provenance*, you gain advantage on Intelligence checks to recall lore about undead or the afterlives. You can attempt to read from the scrolls once per day for 1 hour. Understanding their lore, however, is not an easy task. To begin with, the scrolls are written in nearly every language, ancient and modern, and the text sometimes switches languages within the same sentence. Thus, a successful hour of reading requires a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Religion) check. So cryptic are the scrolls that even *comprehend languages* only provides advantage. | Hours | Benefit | |:----:|:-------------| | 1 | *Pact of return* for yourself | | 2 | *Pact of return* for another or *raise dead* for another | | 3 | *Death pact* for yourself | | 4 | *Death pact* for another or *resurrection* for another | | 6 | *True resurrection* for another (and the scrolls disappear) | If your check is successful, you gain temporary understanding of one of the scrolls’ secrets depending on how long you have spent reading them. Your hours of successful reading stack for this purpose, so you can read over multiple days to gain a greater benefit, if desired. The time spent need not all be spent at once; you can divide it as you choose for the purpose of gaining benefits. Reading *scrolls of uncertain provenance* is not without risk, since delving into their mysteries draws you near to the border between life and death. Whenever you spend an hour reading *scrolls of uncertain provenance*, you must roll on the following table, whether or not you learn anything useful. | d100 | Effect | |:----:|:-------------| | 01-10 | Make a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw. On a failure, you go insane until cured by *greater restoration*, *heal*, or similar magic. While insane, you can’t take actions, can’t understand what other creatures say, can’t read, and speak only in gibberish. | | 11-30 | Make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the scrolls bestow a permanent curse upon you, giving you disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. *Greater restoration* or *remove curse* can end this effect. | | 31-60 | Make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, you are affected by a *geas* commanding you to perform a quest for Wee Jas. | | 61-90 | Make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, you take a -4 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. Every time you finish a long rest, the penalty is reduced by 1 until it disappears. | | 91-00 | Make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, you become a **ghost** for a year and a day. | #### Shadow Veil *Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)* This greenish, indistinct robe is designed to envelop the entire body. A *shadow veil* is crafted from the essence of the undead creatures known as shadows. While wearing it, you gain a +1 bonus to AC. In addition, when you hide while in dim light or darkness, darkvision, blindsight, and other sensory abilities that do not rely on light provide no benefit to finding you. #### Shrouds of the Unholy *Wondrous item, varies* These shrouds look like ordinary funerary wrappings for dead bodies and are often decorated with symbols and icons representing the dead rising. If a dead body is wrapped in the shroud, and the command word spoken, the body will return as an undead of the caster's choice, and the shrouds are consumed. The maximum CR for the created undead is determined by the shroud's rarity. The type of undead it returns as is determined by the speaker of the command word. The undead creature is not under anyone's control when it rises, but it will not attack you for the next 24 hours unless you attack it. Your companions have no such protection. Wrapping a body takes 10 minutes. The magic of the shrouds is useable only once, after which the wrapping becomes ordinary, fine cloth. ##### Maximum Undead CR | Rarity | CR | |:-------------|:----:| | Common | 1/2 | |Uncommon | 2 | | Rare | 5 | | Vary Rare | 10 | | Legendary | 18 | \page
#### Spellblade *Weapon (any), uncommon* As long as you hold this magic weapon, you are immune to a single spell, chosen at the item's creation, that targets a set number of targets (such as *scorching ray*, *slow*, or *dominate monster*). If the spell is ever cast with you as one of its targets, you can use your reaction to cause the spell to instead target a creature of your choice within a range as if you had cast it. All other traits of the spell, including DC, are otherwise the original caster's. #### Staff of Lifeless Touch *Staff, rare (requires attunement by a spellcaster)* Favored by necromancers and martial casters, a *staff of lifeless touch* grants you many of the attack forms of the undead. This staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can cast the *chill touch* spell at will, and you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC and spellcasting ability modifier: *inflict wounds* (1 charge per spell level, up to 5th), *cryptwarden's grasp* (5 charges), *touch of Vecna* (5 charges) or *vampiric touch* (3 charges). The staff regains 1d6 + 4 expended charges daily at midnight. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, you are targeted with a 5th-level *inflict wounds*, *cryptwarden's grasp*, and *touch of Vecna* (all automatically hit), and the staff crumbles to bone dust and is destroyed. #### Starmantle Cloak *Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement)* This draping black cloak turns into a sparkling mantle of tiny, cascading stars when worn. The cloak sheds magical bright light for 20 feet and dim light for 20 feet as if cast by a 6th-level spell, renders you impervious to nonmagical weapon attacks, and transforms any nonmagical weapon or missile that strikes you into harmless light, destroying it. Natural weapons, such as claws or teeth, are not destroyed but deal no damage. Contact with the starmantle cloak does not destroy magic weapons or missiles, but whenever you are struck by such a weapon you can make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw; success indicates that you take only half damage from the attack. #### Tabard of the Disembodied *Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)* *This misty gray tabard is silky soft to the touch. It is embroidered with small sequins in a skull motif.* A *tabard of the disembodied* is connected to the Ethereal Plane, the realm where ghosts hold sway. The tabard has 10 charges. You can spend 1 charge as an action to become ethereal, and can continue spending charges (no action required) every turn to remain ethereal. If you choose not to spend a charge at the start of one of your turns, you return to the Material Plane. While ethereal from this item, you can expend 3 charges to have a spell that you cast also affect the material plane. The tabard regains all charges at midnight. #### Talisman of Undead Mastery *Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)* This tarnished silver skull fits comfortably in a human hand. The talisman has 3 charges. When you turn or rebuke undead, you can expend 1 charge to give all undead disadvantage on the saving throw. The talisman regains 1d3 charges at dawn. #### Talisman of Undying Fortitude *Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)* *This plum-sized skull carved from silver is tarnished black.* As a bonus action, you activate the power of this talisman, gaining some of the defensive qualities of the undead. For the next minute, you gain the following benefits: - You gain immunity to poison damage - You gain immunity to the poisoned and exhausted conditions - You do not need to eat, sleep, drink, or breathe #### Tome of Ancient Lore *Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)* A boon to wizards of all sorts, a *tome of ancient lore* contains every conceivable spell. Perusing it for 1 hour gives you advantage on Arcana checks made until the end of your next long rest. Though the pages of this book contain all the world’s arcane knowledge, a *tome of ancient lore* is cursed with a deliberately confusing, ever-changing system of cross-referencing. Because its pages constantly rearrange themselves, apparently at random, finding any useful information by browsing the book is impossible. However, you can use a *tome of ancient lore* while preparing arcane spells to prepare a single spell that isn’t in your spellbook. Make an Intelligence (Investigation) check equal to 15+the spell's level. On a success, you find the spell you're looking for. You can never have more than one spell prepared from this book at a time, though multiple *tomes of ancient lore* can be used together. #### Tome of Souls *Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)* This thick tome is written in flowing cursive, describing the lives of the creatures whose souls are trapped inside. When a creature dies within 60 feet of you, you can use a reaction to trap its soul in the tome. As an action, you ask the soul a question and receive a brief telepathic answer, which you can understand regardless of the language used. The soul knows only what it knew in life, but it must answer you truthfully and to the best of its ability. The answer is no more than a sentence or two and might be cryptic. You can only ask one questions per day. Also as an action, you can forever release one or more of the souls from imprisonment. \page
#### Vampire Hide *Armor (studded leather), very rare (requires attunement)* This *+2 studded leather* is made from the skin of a vampire. It lets you cast *kiss of the vampire* (DC 16) once per day, requiring no components, and regains that power at midnight. It also passively grants you resistance to necrotic damage. #### Wight Armor *Armor (studded leather), rare* This *+1 studded leather* grants you advantage on Stealth checks in dim light or darkness. Additionally, as an action, you can cast the *shroud of undeath* spell (no components required), and gain darkvision out to 60 feet for the duration of the spell. You can't use this power again until the next midnight. #### Wight Shield *Armor (shield), rare* This *+1 shield* is covered in the hide of a wight. When an opponent misses a melee attack against you by only 1 or 2 points, you can use your reaction to charge the shield with necromantic power, dealing 1d6 + your Charisma modifier necrotic damage to the attacker. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain by this ability rises 24 hours later as a free-willed zombie, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. #### Wormblade *Weapon (any sword or executioner's mace), rare (requires attunement)* These are the traditional weapons of the Swords of Kyuss. You can use a bonus action to speak this magic weapon's command word, causing horrid acid to dript from the blade. While the weapon is dripping acid, it deals an extra 1d6 acid damage to any target it hits. This acid damage is vile damage, and if a creature dies while the vile damage is unhealed the creature can't be resurrected by anything less powerful than a *wish*. The acid continues to drip until you use a bonus action to speak the command word again or until you drop or sheathe the weapon. Executioner's mace versions of this weapon are sometimes called *wormmaces*. #### Wormcrown *Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement)* This ornate green-metal crown features the bas-relief sculptures of hundreds of squirming worms. Kyuss worms within 30 feet of the wearer grow extremely agitated, doing double damage. All undead created by worms under the influence of the wormcrown serve your whim until you take off the crown, at which point they become free-willed. #### Yackti Figure *Wondrous item, very rare* The subtlety of the black cermaic *yackti figure* is the preferred method of revenge for many dark druids and arcane spellcasters. Only 2 inches long, *yackti figures* are poorly made humanoid figurines that have a plug allowing access to a small hollow within the figure's chest. For a *yackti figure* to function, a drop of blood or a strand of hair of the intended victim must be placed within the figure. After that, you have a series of possible torments you can inflict. if the figure is placed in a flame, the victim as feels as though its muscles are on fire, and it suffers disadvantage on Strength checks and saves. If it is placed within a bowl of water, the victim feels as though its lungs have become waterlogged, imposing disadvantage on Constitution checks and saves. If the figure is buried in earth, the victim feels as though its movements have been constrained, suffering disadvantage on Dexterity checks and saves. Only one creature can be affected by an individual *yackti figure*. Alternatively, *bestow eternal curse* can be cast on the *yackti figure*, which removes the save of the spell. A *remove curse* spell removes the penalty, but the same one or a different one can be reapplied by taking the *yackti figure* out and placing it in one of the aforementioned regions again, or by casting *bestow eternal curse* once more. #### Zombie Hide *Armor (hide), rare* This *+1 hide armor* is made from zombie skin. Though the armor sports various holes and rents, these imperfections in no way compromise its integrity. If damage reduces you to 0 hit points while wearing it, you must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5+the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, you drop to 1 hit point instead. \page
### Grafts Undead grafts are formed of nonliving flesh attached to a still-living body, the results of vile experimentation by living necromancers and death priests seeking to become more like what they revere while remaining on this side of death. Grafts have no statistics of their own. A graft might improve some ability or characteristic of the creature it’s attached to, or grant the creature some new ability. For example, a graft might grant a creature a natural weapon or bonus to an ability score. Some grafts are capable of independent action—this usually means that the graft can activate an ability or take an action without the character having to spend an action to do so. Such grafts always act on the character’s turn. Grafts are not magic items, but in game terms they function very much like magic items. The creator of a graft must be in a quiet and comfortable setting, usually an alchemical laboratory but in some cases an evil temple or similar locale. It needs a supply of materials, which usually involve flesh or body parts taken from another creature of the appropriate type or kind. The cost for the materials is subsumed in the cost for creating the graft. A graft does not radiate magic once completed, and it does not require attunement. It does not have a caster level. A graft is very hard, if not impossible, to salvage as treasure. It should be considered to count against the treasure value of the creature of the graft, which means that creatures with grafts are still appropriate challenges for their normal Challenge Rating, but have reduced treasure. Grafts function as the base body part. You can see out of an *eye of flame* as well as out of your own eye. #### Bodak’s Eye *Wondrous item, uncommon* This white, empty eye fits into your empty eye socket and allows you to kill with a glance. When a creature that can see your eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of you, you can take a reaction to force it to make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw if you can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is reduced to 0 hit points, unless it is immune to the frightened condition. Otherwise, the creature takes 3d10 psychic damage on a failed save. You can't use this power again until the next midnight. You also gain darkvision out to 30 feet if you didn't already have it. #### Bodak's Eye, True *Wondrous item, legendary* This white, empty eye fits into your empty eye socket and allows you to kill with a glance. When a creature that can see your eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of you, you can force it to make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw if you aren't incapacitated and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is reduced to 0 hit points, unless it is immune to the frightened condition. Otherwise, a creature takes 3d10 psychic damage on a failed save. Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it has disadvantage on attack rolls against you until the start of its next turn. If the creature looks at you in the meantime, it must immediately make the saving throw. As an action, you force one creature that you can see within 60 feet of you to make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 4d10 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. You also gain darkvision out to 30 feet if you didn't already have it. #### Bonemail *Armor (natural), uncommon* *Bonemail* resembles armor crafted from interlocking bones and shards of bone, but is actually part of the grafted creature’s body. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor. #### Boneyard Wings *Wondrous item, very rare* A pair of wings of bones emerge from your shoulders, and in place of skin they have bone fragments swirling and adjusting to catch the air. Other fragments float around your body, shrouding you. You gain a flying speed of 60 feet and you can hover. You also never gain exhaustion from a forced march, assuming you can fly during the march. #### Eye of Flame *Wondrous item, rare* This crimson eye-shaped gem fits into your empty eye socket. It lets you cast *fireball* (DC 15) as a 5th-level spell. The *fireball*'s damage is vile damage. You can't use this power again until the next midnight. You also gain darkvision out to 30 feet if you didn't already have it. #### Eye of Fear *Wondrous item, rare* This onyx eye-shaped gem fits into your empty eye socket. It lets you cast *fear* (DC 15) as an action, no concentration required. You can't use this power again until the next midnight. You also gain darkvision out to 30 feet if you didn't already have it. #### Ghostly Arm *Wondrous item, uncommon* This gray, incorporeal arm is translucent. If you make an unarmed strike with it, the attack deals force or necrotic damage (your choice) instead of its normal damage type. #### Legs of the Undying Marcher *Wondrous item, uncommon* Flesh from the legs of one of the undying has been fused to your own legs, completely replacing your natural flesh. Your new limbs are gaunt and seemingly devoid of muscle. Their skin is corpse-white and shriveled like that of the undying, but despite their appearance, they are stronger and sturdier than ever. While these legs are attached to you, your speed isn't reduced if you are encumbered or wearing heavy armor, and you never gain exhaustion from a forced march. \page
#### Mohrg's Tongue *Wondrous item, legendary* This long, cartilaginous tongue bears sharp claws at its tip, and it replaces your tongue. While it is attached to you, when you take the Attack action you can attack with the mohrg's tongue as a bonus action. You can use either your Strength or Dexterity modifier when attacking with the tongue. On a hit, the target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. At the end of each of the target's turns, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. This paralysis is not magical and cannot be subjected to spells such as *dispel magic*, but *lesser restoration* works fine. #### Mummified Eye *Wondrous item, very rare* This hard, round orb fits into your empty eye socket and looks much like a normal eye at first glance, but it has a distinctly dry appearance and does not move in the socket. You can cast *eyebite* (DC 17) as an action, no concentration required. You can't use this power again until the next midnight. You also gain darkvision out to 30 feet if you didn't already have it. #### Mummified Hand *Wondrous item, very rare* This withered hand is swathed in the remnants of funereal wrappings. The hand has 3 charges. You can spend 1 charge to cast *cryptwarden's grasp* (+9 to hit, DC 17) as an action. You regain 1d3 charges at midnight. #### Ruby Incisor *Wondrous item, legendary* This beautiful marquise-cut red gemstone is directly inspired by Acererak's teeth, and replaces one of your own. As an action, you can target one creature that you can see within 30 feet. The target must make a DC 19 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the target's soul is magically trapped inside this gem. While the soul is trapped, the target's body and all the equipment it is carrying cease to exist. On a successful save, the target takes 24 (7d6) necrotic damage, and if this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, its soul is trapped as if it failed the saving throw. Alternatively, you can target a creature at 0 hit points but still alive, automatically trapping its soul (no save allowed). A soul trapped in a gem for 1d20 + 15 days (roll for each time a soul is trapped) is devoured and ceases to exist. At your option, you can choose to delay devouring the soul, leaving it trapped and potentially hearing its psychic screams forever. Regardless of the outcome of the saving throw, you can't use the gem's power again for 1 month. If this graft is salvaged from you, crushing the gem releases any soul trapped within, at which point the target's body re-forms in an unoccupied space nearest to the gem and in the same state as when it was trapped. #### Shadow Hand *Wondrous item, legendary* This hand seems to be made of liquid shadow. If you make an unarmed strike with it, the attack deals necrotic damage instead of its normal damage type, and the target’s Strength score is reduced by 1d4. The target dies if this reduces its Strength to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest. If a non-evil humanoid dies from this attack, a new shadow rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later. #### Skeletal Hand *Wondrous item, common* This bony hand has a supernatural twin. You can cast the *mage hand* and *chill touch* cantrips at will, using Charisma as your spellcasting ability. When you do so, the hand is skeletal in appearance. #### Undead Skin *Wondrous item, uncommon* This mottled gray hide grants you advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance against poison damage. #### Vampiric Fangs *Wondrous item, very rare* This set of sharp teeth replaces your existing teeth. You gain the ability to drain blood from a living victim with your fangs. When you take the Attack action, but no more than once per action, you can drink blood from a living victim. The victim must be willing, grappled by you, incapacitated, or restrained. You do 3d6 necrotic damage with this attack. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and you regain hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. #### Wraith Hand *Wondrous item, common* This hand appears dessicated and withered, and it is always shrouded in a haze of shadow. As an action, you can make a melee weapon attack against a target within your reach, using your Strength or Dexterity. You are proficient with this attack. On a hit, you do 4d8 + the modifier you used necrotic damage, and if the target is a creature it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. You can't use this power again until the next midnight. #### Zombie Arm *Wondrous item, rare* A zombie arm is a perpetually rotting limb. While it is attached, your Strength score increases by 2, as does your maximum for that score. However, your Dexterity decreases by 2 while it is attached. \page
### Artifacts As discussed in the Dungeon Master's Guide, artifacts are campaign-changing relics of extreme power. #### Mace of Kyuss *Weapon (executioner's mace), artifact (requires attunement)* Kyuss's personal weapon, this weapon rarely leaves his hand. Indeed, it may not be able to as long as he stays bound. However, a high-level party might conceivably defeat Kyuss, or perhaps one of his cultists figured out a way to free the weapon. If you die when attuned to the mace, you rise in 1 minute as a favored spawn of kyuss. ***Magic Weapon.*** The mace is a magic weapon that grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. It scores a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. The mace also functions as a *Kyuss's wormcrown.* ***Random Properties.*** The mace has the following randomly determined properties: - 2 minor beneficial properties - 1 major beneficial property - 2 minor detrimental properties ***Vileness.*** All damage the mace does is vile damage. ***Mortalbane.*** The mace does an extra 2d10 damage to any living, non-fiend, non-celestial creature it hits. ***Call Herald.*** You cast *herald of the Wormgod*. You can't cast it again until the next dawn. ***Wormkin.*** While you hold this weapon, you are considered to have the wormspawn tag, and can command mindless servants of Kyuss as if you were the demigod himself. All other servants of Kyuss respect you and will not attack unless you do. ***Worm of Kyuss.*** You can hurl a worm as a bonus action, as if you were a favored spawn of Kyuss. ***Kyuss's Kindness.*** The mace carries a secret curse. For each month that you are attuned to it, you must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or have your alignment shift one step closer to neutral evil. Once your alignment is neutral evil, you must succeed at a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw at each sunset or become completely convinced that you are Kyuss's avatar (if he's alive or trapped) or his reincarnation (if he's dead). If this happens, you become an NPC under the DM's control and exist only to bring about the Age of Worms. ***Destroying the Mace.*** An undead of a type normally loyal to Kyuss (such as a favored spawn) must cast a *heal* spell on the mace at the very forge in Kuluth-Mar it was created at every day for one month. #### Necronomicon *Wondrous item, artifact (requires attunement)* Almost universally considered the ultimate in necromancy and the undead, the legendary *Necronomicon*'s origins are murky. Some say it was written by the first lich; others, that it was the work of a god of undeath. Numerous gods claim it as their invention, and the dragon-bone cover seems to lend credence to Falazure's claim—but that some pages are made of dried ulgurstasta flesh seem to hint at Kyuss's hand. It is possible that it was a rare instance of cooperation among the dark gods, with each contributing their specific knowledge and expertise. In any case, the book serves as a reference on all types of undead. Every creature, from the humble skeleton to the mighty atropal, is extensively documented. Each undead has its strengths, weaknesses, abilities, and even method of creation laid bare. Such a huge list, of course, is highly unwieldy. It would certainly allow a character with plenty of advance warning to study up on the powers of mummy lords, but it would be of little use in combat against an unknown foe. After combat was concluded, the defeated foe could be studied to identify its nature. Furthermore, the book documents a huge variety of other necromantic topics, including every necromancy spell ever developed, and the secrets to becoming a lich or death knight. A wizard can prepare any necromancy wizard spell from it. Copies of the *Necronomicon* have been created, and may be found in the libraries of archmages or liches. These copies serve wonderfully as bestiaries and grimoires, but lack the magical potency of the true version. Even such nonmagical copies are extraordinarily valuable (upwards of 50,000 gold apiece). A creature attuned to the book must spend 80 hours reading and studying it to digest its contents and reap its benefits. If you die while attuned to the book, you rise as an undead of the DM's choosing. ***Random Properties.*** The *Necronomicon* has the following random properties: - 3 minor beneficial properties - 1 major beneficial property - 3 minor detrimental properties - 2 major detrimental properties ***Adjusted Ability Scores.*** After you spend the requisite amount of time reading and studying the book, your Wisdom decreases by 2, to a minimum of 3. Another ability score of your choice increases by 2, to a maximum of 24. The book can't adjust your ability scores again. ***Necrological Lore.*** You can reference the *Necronomicon* whenever you make an Intelligence check to recall information about some aspect of necromancy or the undead, such as lore about ghosts. When you do so, double your proficiency bonus on that check. *Note:* Nonmagical copies have this trait as well. ***Invoke Necromancy.*** While you are attuned to the book and holding it, you can cast any spell of the necromancy school without requiring any material components or spell slots. You can't use this property again until the next midnight. ***Ultimate Create Undead.*** As an action, you transform a corpse within 10 feet of you into any undead of your choice. The undead is free-willed and does as it pleases. You can't use this property again for 1 week. ***Destroying the Necronomicon.*** It's rumored the *Necronomicon* can't be destroyed as long as undead exist in the multiverse. However, if a *disintegrate* is cast upon it by an undead on the Positive Energy Plane, it is destroyed for 1d100 years, after which point it reforms. \page
### Magic Locations #### Crypt of Wee Jas A *crypt of Wee Jas* grants a creature who touches it the ability to detect the living, undead, and undead with but a glance. Simply by looking at a creature, the beneficiary can determine if that creature is alive, dead, undead, or neither alive nor dead (such as a construct). ***Recharge:*** A given *crypt of Wee Jas* can grant its benefits to a being only one per year. #### Necromantic Circle A *detect magic* spell reveals a strong aura of necromancy magic around the circle. A character who studies the circle and succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check can ascertain its properties. The check is made with advantage if the character is a wizard whose arcane tradition is the School of Necromancy, or a dread necromancer. Any undead animated or created inside the circle becomes an undead with hit points equal to its hit point maximum. In addition, the undead gains advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. ***Recharge:*** The circle recharges immediately. #### Sepulcher of Wee Jas A *sepulcher of Wee Jas* bestows magical powers on those who enter it and emulate death. A would-be benefactor of the sepulcher's power must enclose himself or herself in a coffin within the sepulcher and lie within—awake but unmoving—for 24 hours. During this period, the creature takes 2d10 points of necrotic damage every 2 hours. Assuming the character survives, they must attempt a DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (Religion) check (their choice) when the required time has elapsed. A worshiper of Wee Jas gains advantage on this check. Success indicates that the petitioner has acquired sufficient insight into death to gain the site’s granted power. A character who fails the check by 10 or more points, however, instantly contracts *mummy rot*, no saving throw allowed. Any time the recipient of the power granted by a *sepulcher of Wee Jas* kills a humanoid with a necromantic spell, that creature instantly reanimates as a zombie under its control. This zombie remains animate for 1 minute, then dies again. This power lasts for 1 month. ***Recharge:*** A given sepulcher of Wee Jas can grant its benefits to a being only once per month. #### Shrine of Acererak The *shrine of Acererak* can be found deep on Pandemonium, guarded by undead with a combined difficulty of being a Hard encounter for a party of level 12 characters. If you kiss the shrine's face, you gain two permanent benefits: - Mindless undead ignore you unless you attack them, after which they react normally (attacking a single undead that belongs to a group of adjacent undead causes all in the group to likewise treat you normally). - Once per week, you can cast a *suggestion* that affects only one undead creature. This *suggestion* works even on undead who are immune to being charmed, and does not require concentration. ***Recharge:*** The shrine recharges immediately. \page
### Positoxins As a rule, poisons have no effect on the undead. However, holy water can be combined with rare ingredients to create substances that the undead fear as much as the living fear poison. These are called positoxins, and unlike standard poison, they are legal in most societies, except those that the undead rule. Positoxins come in the following four types. ***Contact***. A creature that touches contact positoxin with exposed skin suffers its effects. ***Ingested.*** A creature must swallow an entire dose of ingested positoxin to suffer its effects. You might decide that a partial dose has a reduced effect, such as allowing advantage on the saving throw or dealing only half damage on a failed save. ***Inhaled.*** These positoxins are powders or gases that take effect when they are inhaled. A single dose fills a 5-foot cube. ***Injury.*** A creature that takes damage from a weapon or piece of ammunition coated with injury positoxin is exposed to its effects. ##### Positoxins | Item | Type | Price per Dose | |:-------------|:----:|:----:| | Bloodwine | Ingested | 250 gp | | Boneshard Paste | Contact | 750 gp | | Celestial Essence | Injury | 400 gp | | Gravedust | Inhaled | 100 gp | | Kyussbane Oil | Injury | 200 gp | | Lichbane | Injury | 650 gp | | Liquid Mortality | Injury | 2,000 gp | | Nearkill | Inhaled | 600 gp | | Sunlight Oil | Contact | 1,300 gp | Each type of positoxin has its own debilitating effects. ***Bloodwine (Ingested).*** This thick, crimson positoxin includes garlic in its creation, making it particularly harmful to vampires and other undead with a vulnerability to garlic. Any undead imbibing it takes 13 (2d12) radiant damage, or half on a successful DC 12 Constitution throw. Vampires and other undead vulnerable to garlic take 26 (4d12) radiant damage. Bloodwine can be ingested by the living with no ill effect. It stays in the bloodstream for 12 hours. While in the bloodstream, an undead who sucks blood from the living creature, or eats its flesh, suffers the effects of the poison, though it does get advantage on the save. ***Boneshard Paste (Contact).*** This feared paste weakens the undead. Any undead that comes into contact with it must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it deals only half damage with weapon attacks that use Strength for the next 24 hours, and it has disadvantage on all checks based on Strength. ***Celestial Essence (Injury).*** This positoxin is only refined by celestials. An undead subjected to this positoxin must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 17 (5d6) radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. ***Gravedust (Inhaled).*** This gray-brown powder reminds the undead of the feeling of choking. Any undead who enters the space must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, at the start of each of its turns for the next minute, it must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution check. On a failure, it cannot take any actions that round. ***Kyussbane Oil (Injury).*** You can use the rank, oily positoxin in this vial to coat one slashing or piercing weapon or up to three pieces of ammunition. Applying the positoxin takes an action. Any undead struck by a weapon coated in this substance takes an extra 1d10 radiant damage, and any wormspawn or similar creature (including Kyuss himself) struck by the affected weapon takes 1d10 more damage. Unlike most positoxins, the second effect works even on living wormspawn creatures. ***Lichbane (Injury).*** Lichbane saps the might of spellcasting undead. An undead affected by lichbane must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 13 (3d8) radiant damage and loses the highest-level spell slot it still has, or half damage and no other effects. ***Liquid Mortality (Injury).*** Thought by most undead to be a myth, an undead subjected to this positoxin must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. An undead reduced to 0 hit points by this damage is immediately destroyed. ***Nearkill (Inhaled).*** Also called *hsskala*, this unusual positoxin was invented by a yuan-ti named Kharantes. An undead subjected to this positoxin must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for 8 hours. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake. Additional doses can be used early to extend the duration. ***Sunlight Oil (Contact).*** The contents of this vial shine bright light out to a radius of 30 feet, and dim light for an additional 30 feet. A creature with the oil applied to it shines likewise. As an action, you can splash the contents of this flask onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw it up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case, make a ranged attack against a target creature, treating the sunlight water as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the creature is coated in sunlight oil. It is considered to be in sunlight for as long as the oil remains on it. It can take an action to try to scrape the oil off, making a Dexterity check against DC 15. On a success, the oil is removed. Unique among the positoxins on this list, this has a use against non-undead, though it is minor. Creatures with sunlight sensitivity, such as drow and kobolds, take the relevant penalty while coated in sunlight oil. Any other sunlight-induced weaknesses apply as well. If the creature starts its turn fully submerged in moving water, the oil is washed off. \page
# New Creatures Listed below are many dreadful and ferocious creatures of the night, suitable both as enemies for the DM to peruse and as options for the necromancer to create. > >### A Note on Tags > > The following two tags need additional explanation. > >#### Spirit The spirit tag is most fitting to campaigns with an Eastern flavor. If the DM is using it in his or her campaign, it applies to the following creatures: >- All incorporeal undead (ghosts and ancestor spirits) >- All elementals (nature spirits) >- All fey (nature spirits) >- All celestials (good, benevolent spirits) >- All fiends (evil, corrupting spirits) >- Some dragons (nature spirits) >- Any creature the DM determines fits (a good example would be the oni, a giant) > >Spirit creatures are not necessarily incorporeal, despite their name—some spirits are as much flesh and bone as humans are. > >#### Wormspawn > The wormspawn tag refers to creatures created by Kyuss or his followers (such as the spawn of Kyuss and the wormdrake), or by creatures heavily twisted by those beings (such as the avolakia and the nerephtys). The spawn of Kyuss in Volo's Guide to Monsters should have the wormspawn tag. > > The Hounds of Kyuss is the collective name for Kyuss's mssive undead arthropods, such as the eviscerator beetle, mindkiller scorpion, earthcancer centipede, and worldbreaker mantis shrimp. > ### Undead Flesh in the Cold >Corporeal undead creatures that are resistant or immune to cold can function with ease in environments that can normally be lethal (–20° F or lower). An undead creature exposed to such conditions for at least a day becomes frozen; this reduces the creature’s land speed by 10 feet and reduces its Dexterity by 4 for as long as it's frozen, but increases its natural armor by +4, to a maximum of +9. Some undead, such as the icegaunt, entombed, and steaming soldier, are already frozen and do not gain these benefits or drawbacks. Once an undead is thawed, it loses all of these penalties and benefits. \page
## Templates These templates can be added to various creatures. For fractional CR (such as 1/8), increase fractions accordingly (+1 on a 1/8 becomes 1/4). ### Afflux-Blooded "Afflux-blooded" is a template that can be added to any neutral or evil creature that has performed torture. An Afflux-blooded creature gains the following special traits: ***Lifeforce Reserve.*** The Afflux-blooded creature can grant itself 40 temporary hit points (no action required, but can only be done on its turn). These hit points last until it stores them again on its turn, or until they are expended. **If the hit points are expended, all benefits from this template other than Torturer's Ear are lost.** ***Skills.*** The Afflux-blooded creature adds twice its proficiency bonus to Insight and Intimidation checks. ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The Afflux-blooded creature can cast *blade of pain and fear* and *spare the dying,* at will, as well as *pain* once a day. Charisma is the Afflux-blooded spellcasting ability for these spells. ***Torturer's Ear.*** The Afflux-blooded creature knows if it hears a lie. An Afflux-blooded creature gains the following special action: ***Agony Touch.*** The Afflux-blooded creature touches a creature, forcing it to make a Constitution saving throw against a DC of (8 + Afflux-blooded creature's Charisma modifier + proficiency bonus). On a failure, it is stunned until the start of the Afflux-blooded creature's next turn. Even on a success, it is affected as if it had failed a save against the *pain* spell for the same duration. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +1. ### Animus "Animus" is a template that can be added to any humanoid. When a creature becomes an animus, it retains all its statistics except as noted below. ***Type.*** The animus's type changes to undead. ***Ability Score Increase.*** The animus's Charisma increases by 2. ***Damage Resistance.*** The animus gains resistance to acid, cold, and fire damage, as well as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons. ***Damage Immunity.*** The animus gains immunity to necrotic and poison damage. ***Condition Immunities.*** The animus gains immunity to poisoned, paralyzed, and exhaustion. ***Turn Resistance.*** The animus has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. ***Undead Nature.*** An animus doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep. ***Regeneration.*** The animus regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. ***Lord of the Dead.*** All free mindless undead see the animus as an ally and obey it. ***Alignment.*** The animus's alignment changes to lawful evil. ***Darkvision.*** The animus gains darkvision out to 60 ft. ***Horrifying Apperance.*** There is a 25% chance that a flaw in the process to create the animus makes it look lichlike. If it looks lichlike, it has disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks, but advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks. The animus gains the following actions: ***Multiattack.*** If the base creature does not have multiattack, it can make one fear touch and one attack. If it does, it adds using Fear Touch once to its multiattack. ***Paralyzing Gaze.*** The animus targets one creature within 30 feet that it can see and that can see the animus's eyes. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier). On a failed save, it is paralyzed until the animus loses concentration (as if concentrating on a spell). It can only paralyze one creature at a time. ***Suggest.*** The animus uses an effect identical to *mass suggestion*, targeting only the creature it has paralyzed. Charisma is its spellcasting ability. ***Command (Recharge 5-6).*** The animus casts *command* as a 5th-level spell. It can only choose the Grovel command. Charisma is its spellcasting ability. ***Fear Touch.*** The animus touches one creature within its reach. It forces the creature to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier). On a failed save, the creature must drop whatever it is holding and be frightened for 1 minute. While frightened in this way, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from the animus by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. If the creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn’t have line of sight to the animus, the creature can repeat a Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the effect end. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +3. \page
### Bodak Creature "Bodak creature" is a template that can be applied to any living, corporeal creature of CR 4 or more except constructs, oozes, plants, and undead (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). It uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here. ***Type.*** The bodak's type changes to undead. ***Senses.*** The bodak gains darkvision to 120 feet. ***Damage Resistances.*** The bodak gains resistance to cold, fire, and necrotic damage, as well as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks. ***Damage Immunities.*** The bodak gains immunity to lightning and poison damage. ***Condition Immunities.*** The bodak gains immunity to being charmed, frightened, and poisoned. ***Aura of Annihilation.*** The bodak can activate or deactivate this feature as a bonus action. While active, the aura deals 5 necrotic damage to any creature that ends its turn within 30 feet of the bodak. Undead and fiends ignore this effect. ***Death Gaze.*** When a creature that can see the bodak’s eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of the bodak, the bodak can force it to make a DC (8 + Con + Proficiency) Constitution saving throw if the bodak isn’t incapacitated and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is reduced to 0 hit points, unless it is immune to the frightened condition. Otherwise, a creature takes 16 (3d10) psychic damage on a failed save. Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it has disadvantage on attack rolls against the bodak until the start of its next turn. If the creature looks at the bodak in the meantime, it must immediately make the saving throw. ***Sunlight Hypersensitivity.*** The bodak takes 5 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. ***Necrotic Fists.*** The bodak's melee weapon attacks deal an extra 9 (2d8) necrotic damage. The bodak also gains the following action: ***Withering Gaze.*** One creature that the bodak can see within 60 feet of it must make a DC (8 + Con + Proficiency) Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. ***Alignment.*** The bodak's alignment shifts to chaotic evil. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +4. ### Bone Creature This template is identical to the skeletal template, but retains all class features, can speak, and lacks the penalty to Int and Cha. ### Corpse Creature This template is identical to the zombified template, but retains all class features, can speak, lacks the penalty to Int, Wis, and Cha, and merits a +1 to CR. ### Crypt Spawn "Crypt spawn" is a template that can be applied to any willing, living creature through the *undeath after death* spell. When a creature becomes a crypt spawn, it retains all its statistics except as noted below. ***Type.*** The crypt spawn's type changes to undead. ***Damage Immunity.*** The crypt spawn gains immunity to poison damage. ***Condition Immunities.*** The crypt spawn gains immunity to poisoned and exhaustion. ***Turn Resistance.*** The crypt spawn has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. ***Undead Nature.*** A crypt spawn doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep. ***Natural Armor.*** When not wearing armor, the crypt spawn's AC is 13 + its Dexterity modifier. ***Darkvision.*** The crypt spawn gains darkvision out to 60 ft. ***Frightening.*** The crypt spawn gains proficiency in Intimidation. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +1. \page
### Curst Cursts are undead humanoids trapped under a curse that will not let them die. This template can be applied to any humanoid. ***Type.*** The curst's type changes to undead. ***Damage Immunity.*** The curst gains immunity to cold, fire, and poison damage. ***Condition Immunities.*** The curst gains immunity to being charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, and stunned. ***Senses.*** The curst gains darkvision to a radius of 60 feet. ***Magic Resistance.*** The curst has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. ***Turn Immunity.*** The curst is immune to effects that turn or rebuke undead. ***Madness.*** A curst with a Wisdom of 1 or 2 is afflicted with bouts of madness. In combat, it must roll a d20 at the start of its turns. On a 1, it takes no actions that round. ***Ability Score Adjustments.*** The curst's scores are adjusted as follows: +2 Str, -6 Wis, -2 Cha. ***Regeneration.*** A curst heals 1 point of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points, it falls unconscious, and its regeneration stops. After 1 hour, the curst makes a DC 15 Constitution check. If the check succeeds, the curst regains 1 hit point, its regeneration resumes, and it is no longer unconscious. If the check fails, the curst must make another check at the same DC 24 hours later, and every 24 hours thereafter until it succeeds and begins to recover hit points again. Thus, even a dismembered curst eventually recovers from its injuries. ***Unkillable.*** Only two ways exist to destroy a curst permanently. One is to destroy its body (by total immersion in acid, or a *disintegrate* spell, for example). The other is to remove the curse that keeps it from dying. The caster of the *remove curse* spell must succeed on a DC 20 spellcasting ability check to successfully remove the curse. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +3. ### Death's Chosen "Death's chosen" is a template that can be applied to any aberration, dragon, giant, humanoid, or monstrosity that has an undead master. ***Master's Favorite.*** The master can choose to exempt its chosen from any ill effects from any ability or spell it uses (no action required). For example, a ghost could choose to make its death's chosen immune to its frightful presence, while a lich could choose to make a *meteor swarm* do no damage to its chosen. ***Master's Endurance.*** The death's chosen gains advantage on saving throws against exhaustion and only need sleep 2 hours a night (it still must rest for 8 hours for a long rest). ***Master's Resolve.*** The death's chosen has advantage on Wisdom saving throws as long as it is within 60 feet of its master. ***Challenge Rating.*** Same as base creature. ### Dread Warrior "Dread Warrior" is a template that can be applied to any humanoid with at least 3 levels in a martial class. Dread warriors are created through the *animate dread warrior* spell. When a creature becomes a dread warrior, it retains all its statistics except as noted below. ***Type.*** The dread warrior's type changes to undead. ***Damage Immunity.*** The dread warrior gains immunity to poison damage. ***Damage Resistance.*** The dread warrior gains resistance to necrotic damage. ***Condition Immunities.*** The dread warrior gains immunity to poisoned and exhaustion. ***Senses.*** The dread warrior gains darkvision to a range of 60 feet. ***Alignment.*** The dread warrior's alignment changes to lawful. ***Ability Score Adjustment.*** The dread warrior's Strength increases by 4, and its Charisma decreases by 6. ***Undead Nature.*** A dread warrior doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep. \page
### Dry Lich The dry lich template can only be applied to a living caster that can cast 9th-level spells. Almost all dry liches are members of the Walkers in the Waste, but a handful of dread necromancers follow this path. ***Type.*** The dry lich's type changes to undead. ***Natural Armor.*** When not wearing armor, the dry lich's AC is equal to 15 + its Dexterity modifier. ***Damage Immunities.*** The lich gains immunity to dessication, fire, necrotic, and poison damage, as well as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks. ***Condition Immunities.*** The dry lich gains immunity to being charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, and poisoned. ***Senses.*** The dry lich gains truesight to 120 feet. ***Legendary Resistance (3/day).*** If the dry lich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. ***Turn Resistance.*** The dry lich has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. ***Aura of Despair.*** As a bonus action, each creature of the dry lich's choice that is within 60 ft. of it must succeed on a DC (8 + spellcasting modifier + proficiency bonus) Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature that fails this save by 5 or more is incapacitated while frightened in this way, and its speed is 0. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to this dry lich's Aura of Despair for the next 24 hours. ***Regeneration.*** The dry lich regains 2 hit points at the start of its turn as long as it has at least 1 hit point remaining and isn't in water or a humid climate, or the area of a water-based spell such as *fog cloud*. ***Rejuvenation.*** The dry lich gains a new body in 1d6 weeks if at least one of its canopic jars is intact, regaining all its hit points and becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of a canopic jar of its choice. ***Turn Resistance.*** The dry lich has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. ***Water Weakness.*** All water damages the dry lich as if it were holy water. The dry lich gains the following action: ***Dessicating Touch.*** *Melee Spell Attack:* + proficiency + spellcasting modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit:* ??? (4d8 + mod) dessication damage. The target must succeed on a DC (8 + spellcasting modifier + proficiency bonus) Constitution saving throw or have disadvantage on all attack rolls and ability checks until it drinks at least a gallon of water. The dry lich gains the following legendary actions: The lich can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The lich regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. **Cantrip.** The lich casts a cantrip. **Dessicating Touch (Costs 2 Actions).** The lich uses its Dessicating Touch. **Mournful Gaze (Costs 2 Actions).** The lich fixes its gaze on one creature it can see within 10 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC (8 + spellcasting modifier + proficiency bonus) Wisdom saving throw against this magic or suffer disadvantage on attack rolls for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to the lich’s gaze for the next 24 hours. **Drain Moisture (Costs 3 Actions).** Each non-undead creature within 20 feet of the lich must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw against this magic, taking 21 (6d6) dessication damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. ### Evolved Undead Any undead can become an evolved undead. After existing for 100 years, and for every 100 years of subsequent existence, an undead has a 1% chance of becoming evolved. Its chance of evolving again increases by 1% for each time it has evolved. Unlike most templates, this template can be applied multiple times. Its effects stack with itself. ***Natural Armor.*** The evolved undead's natural armor bonus increases by 2. ***Regeneration.*** The undead regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. ***Ability Score Increase.*** Two ability scores of the undead's choice increase by 2. ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The evolved undead can innately cast one of the following spells once a day using Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (its choice), requiring no material components: | d10 | Spell | |:----:|:-------------| | 1 | *circle of death* | | 2 | *cloudkill* | | 3 | *cone of cold* | | 4 | *confusion* | | 5 | *contagion* | | 6 | *dispel magic* (5th-level) | | 7 | *greater invisibility* | | 8 | *haste* | | 9 | *hold monster* | | 10 | *true seeing* | ***Challenge Rating.*** I recommend caution if you are using this template on monsters of CR 7 or lower, as some of the spells can be extremely devastating. When applied to a higher-CR monster, it increases the CR by 1. \page
### Favored Spawn of Kyuss "Favored spawn of Kyuss" is a template that can be applied to any living, corporeal creature. When a creature becomes a favored spawn of Kyuss, it retains all its statistics except as noted below. ***Type.*** The favored spawn's type changes to undead and it gains the wormspawn tag. ***Damage Immunity.*** The favored spawn gains immunity to poison damage. ***Ability Score Increase.*** Two ability scores of the favored spawn's choice increase by 2. ***Damage Resistances.*** The favored spawn gains resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered. ***Condition Immunities.*** The favored spawn gains immunity to poisoned and exhaustion. ***Turn Resistance.*** The favored spawn has advantage on saving throws against being turned or rebuked. ***Regeneration.*** The favored spawn regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn’t in sunlight or a body of running water. If the spawn takes acid, fire, or radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the spawn’s next turn. The spawn is destroyed only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate. ***Worms.*** If the favored spawn is targeted by an effect that cures disease or removes a curse, it must make a Constitution saving throw against the caster's spell save DC. On a failure, all the worms infesting it wither away, and it loses its Burrowing Worm action, Infested Skin trait, Foul Embrace action, and Wormburst action. ***Senses.*** The favored spawn gains darkvision to a range of 60 feet. ***Withering Weapons.*** Any weapon attacks the favored spawn make do an extra 2d6 necrotic damage. ***Infested Skin (Kyuss's Blessing).*** Whenever a creature within 5 feet of the favored spawn of Kyuss hits it with a melee attack, the creature must make a Dexterity saving throw as if it has just been targeted by Burrowing Worm. Creatures that move through it, such as through Tumble, must make a Dexterity saving throw in the same way. ***Kyuss's Blessing.*** A creature with a CR (or a level, if it doesn't have a CR) of at least 8 also has one of the following traits or options, as a gift from Kyuss himself: - *Noxious Breath* - *Wormburst* - *Infested Skin* ***Actions.*** The favored spawn gains the following actions: ***Multiattack.*** The favored spawn keeps its previous multiattack options and can also use Burrowing Worm. ***Foul Embrace.*** The favored spawn presses its face to the face of a paralyzed, stunned, or unconscious creature, which is infested with 2d6 worms. If it dies to these worms, it rises as a favored spawn. ***Wormburst (1/day) (Kyuss's Blessing).*** The favored spawn ejects worms in a 20-foot radius around itself. Each creature within that area must make a DC (8 + proficiency + Dexterity modifier) Dexterity saving throw or have 2d4 worms land upon it. ***Noxious Breath (Kyuss's Blessing).*** The favored spawn exhales disgusting air in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC (8 + proficiency + Constitution modifier) Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for one minute. It is incapacitated while poisoned in this way. It can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. ***Burrowing Worm.*** As a bonus action, the favored spawn launches a worm at one humanoid that the spawn can see within 10 feet of it. The worm latches onto the target’s skin unless the target succeeds on a DC (8 + proficiency + Dexterity modifier) Dexterity saving throw. The worm is a Tiny aberration with AC 6, 1 hit point, a 2 (-4) in every ability score, and a speed of 1 foot. While on the target’s skin, the worm can be killed by normal means or scraped off using an action (the spawn can use this action to launch a scraped-off worm at a humanoid it can see within 10 feet of the worm). Otherwise, the worm burrows under the target’s skin at the end of the target’s next turn, dealing l piercing damage to it. At the end of each of its turns thereafter, the target takes 7 (2d6) necrotic damage per worm infesting it. A worm-infested target dies if it drops to 0 hit points, then rises 10 minutes later as a spawn of Kyuss (not a favored spawn). If a worm-infested creature is targeted by an effect that cures disease or removes a curse, all the worms infesting it wither away. ***Alignment.*** The favored spawn's alignment changes to chaotic evil. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +4. ### Fleshvigor "Fleshvigor" is a template that can be applied to any non-skeletal corporeal undead. An undead can acquire the fleshvigor template through a magical process; fleshvigor undead that can create spawn make spawn of the appropriate type with the fleshvigor template (so a fleshvigor wight creates fleshvigor zombies, and so on). ***Ability Score Increase.*** Strength increases by 2. ***Bite.*** A fleshvigor gains a bite attack if it didn't already have one, using the table below for damage. It can make a bite as a bonus action. It uses either Strength or Dexterity (its choice) for this attack. | Size | Damage | |:----:|:-------------| | Tiny | 1 | | Small | 1d4 | | Medium | 1d8 | | Large | 2d8 | | Huge | 3d8 | | Gargantuan | 4d8 | ***Cannibalistic Healing.*** By spending 1 minutes, a fleshvigor may devour the flesh of a creature, leaving nothing but bones. Upon finishing its meal, the fleshvigor regains hit points equal to its Constitution modifier at the start of each of its turns for 10 minutes as long as it has at least 1 hit point. A creature consumed by this ability normally will not rise as an undead, as there isn't enough material left to form a creature. Likewise, they cannot be raised by a *raise dead* spell, though *resurrection* works properly. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +1. \page
### Ghost Brute "Ghost brute" is a template that can be added to any unaligned beast, monstrosity, or plant with a Charisma score below 8. ***Type.*** The ghost brute's type changes to undead. ***Speed.*** The ghost brute gains a fly speed of 30, unless it already had a higher fly speed. It can also hover. ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The ghost brute can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. ***Attacks.*** The ghost brute's attacks and abilities all do necrotic damage. ***Etherealness.*** The ghost brute enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. It is visible on the Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can't affect or be affected by anything on the other plane. ***Ethereal Sight.*** The ghost brute can see 60 ft. into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa. ***Rejuvenation.*** If it dies, the ghost brute returns to life in 1d6 days and regains all its hit points. Only a *wish* spell can prevent this trait from functioning. It can choose one of the following action options (DC of 8 + proficiency bonus + Constitution modifier): - ***Bloodcurdling Howl.*** All creatures within 300 feet of the ghost brute must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is frightened of the ghost for 1 minute. An affected creature can repeat the save on the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If the save fails by 5 or more, the creature must drop whatever it is holding and take the Dash action and move away from the ghost by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. - ***Loom (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest).*** The ghost brute appears to grow in 2 sizes (from Medium to Huge, for example) for 1 minute. This is purely illusory, but it does give the ghost brute advantage on Intimidation checks. ### Ghoulish Creature This template can be applied to any living creature that is not a celestial, elemental, fiend, ooze, or plant. A creature must have a mouth to become a ghoul. ***Type.*** The ghoulish creature's type changes to undead. ***Class Features.*** The ghoulish creature loses all class features. ***Damage Immunity.*** The ghoul gains immunity to poison damage. ***Condition Immunities.*** The ghoul gains immunity to being poisoned. ***Senses.*** The ghoul gains darkvision to a radius of 60 feet. ***Attacks.*** Once per turn, when the ghoulish creature hits a creature with a fist, slam, claw, or melee natural weapon attack, the creature must succeed on a DC (8 + proficiency bonus + Constitution modifier) Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Elves are immune to this. ### Gravetouched Ghoul This template can be applied to any living creature with an Intelligence of at least 6 that is not a celestial, elemental, fiend, ooze, or plant. A creature must have a mouth to become a gravetouched ghoul. ***Ability Score Increase.*** The creature's Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma increase by 2, while its Dexterity and Constitution increases by 4. ***Damage Immunity.*** The ghoul gains immunity to poison damage. ***Condition Immunities.*** The ghoul gains immunity to the poisoned condition. ***Senses.*** The ghoul gains darkvision to a radius of 60 feet. ***Attacks.*** Once per turn, when the gravetouched ghoul hits a creature with a fist, slam, claw, or melee natural weapon attack, the creature must succeed on a DC (8 + proficiency bonus + Constitution modifier) Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. ***Stench.*** Any creature that starts its turn within 5 ft. of the ghoul must succeed on a DC (8 + Constitution modifier + proficiency bonus) Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to the ghoul’s Stench for 24 hours. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +2. ### Hivenest "Hivenest" is a template that combines two creatures. It can be applied to any Large or larger corporeal construct, plant, or undead, and to any swarm. If the base swarm has blindsight, darkvision, or tremorsense, the hivenest monster retains that ability. The hivenest monster also retains any bonus on Perception checks possessed by the base swarm. If the base swarm has spellcasting or innate spellcasting, the hivenest monster can use it. When the hivenest monster dies, the swarm inside it is released. ***Challenge Rating.*** Neither creature's challenge rating is increased, but when building an encounter with one, treat it as if the creatures were separate. ### Hoarder ["Hoarder"](http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070307b) is a template that can be applied to any nongood dragon with a hoard of at least 50,000 coins of any kind. ***Type.*** The dragon's type changes to undead. ***Speed.*** The dragon can hover, and it can move through creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 1d10 force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. ***Damage Resistance.*** The dragon gains resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder, as well as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks. ***Damage Immunities.*** The dragon gains immunity to necrotic and poison damage. ***Damage Changes.*** The dragon's bite does necrotic damage, and half its breath weapon is necrotic. ***Condition Immunities.*** The dragon is immune to being charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, and restrained. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +2. \page
### Hooded Pupil A hooded pupil is a humanoid or a giant who was lured by the promises of necromancy, envious of the power the necromancer wields and the unending existence the vampire enjoys, but yet are not ready to relinquish life. ***Calloused Skin.*** When the hooded pupil isn’t wearing armor, its AC equals 13 + its Dexterity modifier. ***Darkvision.*** The hooded pupil gains darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. The hooded pupil also gains the following actions: ***Drink Blood (1/day).*** A hooded pupil can suck blood from a living victim who has damage that is yet unhealed (the hooded pupil doesn’t have exceptionally sharp teeth, unless the base creature has a bite attack, so it must sip from wounds). As a bonus action, it drinks blood, dealing 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the hooded pupil regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. ***Clutch of Orcus (1/day).*** The hooded pupil casts *clutch of Orcus* (DC 8 + proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier). ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +1. ### Lich The lich template is intended to make clerical, druidic, bardic, sorcerous, and warlock liches easier to make. It can only be applied to a living caster that can cast 9th-level spells. Dread necromancers who choose lichdom at 20th level gain this template. ***Type.*** The lich's type changes to undead. ***Natural Armor.*** When not wearing armor, the lich's AC is equal to 14 + its Dexterity modifier. ***Proficiency.*** The lich gains proficiency in Constitution saving throws. If it is already proficient, it gains proficiency in one save of its choice. ***Damage Resistances.*** The lich gains resistance to cold, lightning, and necrotic damage. ***Damage Immunities.*** The lich gains immunity to poison, and bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks. ***Condition Immunities.*** The lich gains immunity to being charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, and poisoned. ***Senses.*** The lich gains truesight to 120 feet. ***Legendary Resistance (3/day).*** If the lich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. ***Turn Resistance.*** The lich has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. ***Rejuvenation.*** If it has a phylactery, a destroyed lich gains a new body in 1d10 days, regaining all its hit points and becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of the phylactery. The lich gains the following action: ***Paralyzing Touch.*** *Melee Spell Attack:* + (proficiency bonus + spellcasting modifier) to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 10 (3d6) cold damage. The target must succeed on a DC (8 + proficiency bonus + spellcasting modifier) Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. The lich gains the following legendary actions: The lich can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The lich regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. **Cantrip.** The lich casts a cantrip. **Paralyzing Touch (Costs 2 Actions).** The lich uses its Paralyzing Touch. **Frightening Gaze (Costs 2 Actions).** The lich fixes its gaze on one creature it can see within 10 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC (8 + proficiency bonus + spellcasting modifier) Wisdom saving throw against this magic or become Frightened for 1 minute. The Frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to the lich’s gaze for the next 24 hours. **Disrupt Life (Costs 3 Actions).** Each non-undead creature within 20 feet of the lich must make a DC (8 + proficiency bonus + spellcasting modifier) Constitution saving throw against this magic, taking 21 (6d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. ### Mummified Creature This template can be applied to any living creature that is not a celestial, elemental, fiend, ooze, or plant. ***Type.*** The mummified creature's type changes to undead. ***Class Features.*** The mummy loses all class features. ***Damage Immunity.*** The mummy gains immunity to necrotic and poison damage. ***Damage Resistance.*** The mummy gains resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks. ***Damage Vulnerability.*** The mummy gains vulnerability to fire damage. ***Condition Immunities.*** The mummy gains immunity to being charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, and poisoned. ***Attacks.*** Once per turn, when the mummified creature hits a creature with a fist, slam, or melee natural weapon attack, the target creature must succeed on a DC (8 + proficiency bonus + Constitution modifier) Constitution saving throw or be cursed with mummy rot. The cursed target can't regain Hit Points, and its hit point maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target's hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and its body turns to dust. The curse lasts until removed by the *remove curse* spell or other magic. ***Senses.*** The mummy gains darkvision to a radius of 60 feet. ***Challenge Rating.*** If the base creature has a CR of 5 or lower, this template increases the CR by 2. If the base creature has a CR of 6 or higher, this template increases the CR by 1. \page
### Necrocarnum Zombie "Necrocarnum zombie" is a template that can be added to any zombie. ***Ability Score Increase.*** The necrocarnum zombie's intelligence increases to 6 and its Wisdom increases to 8, unless the score was already higher. ***Essentia Pool.*** A necrocarnum zombie has as many essentia points as its proficiency bonus. As a bonus action, it can reassign any amount of these points up to its limit into either Incarnum Speed or Incarnum Defense. ***Incarnum Speed.*** The necrocarnum zombie's speed increases by 10 feet for each essentia point invested. ***Incarnum Defense.*** The necrocarnum zombie's AC increases by 1 for each essentia point invested. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +1. ### Necromental "Necromental" is a template that can be added to any elemental. ***Type.*** The elemental's type changes to undead. ***Create Spawn.*** An elemental slain by the necromental rises 1d4 days later as a necromental. ***Damage Immunity.*** The necromental gains immunity to poison damage. ***Condition Immunities.*** The necromental gains immunity to poisoned and exhaustion. ***Draining Blows.*** All of a necromental's melee weapon attacks do an extra 1d10 necrotic damage. ***Regeneration.*** The necromental regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +1. ### Necropolitan "Necropolitan" is a template that can be applied to any willing, living creature that is not a celestial, elemental, fiend, ooze, or plant. The ritual takes 24 hours and costs 3,000 gold. If you are capable of performing the ritual yourself on a friend, the raw unguents and preservatives cost 1,500 gold. When it is finished, the creature dies and rises as a free-willed necropolitan. When a creature becomes a necropolitan, it retains all its statistics except as noted below. ***Type.*** The necropolitan's type changes to undead. ***Damage Immunity.*** The necropolitan gains immunity to poison damage. ***Condition Immunities.*** The necropolitan gains immunity to poisoned and exhaustion. ***Turn Resistance.*** The necropolitan has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns or rebukes undead. ***Resist Control.*** The necropolitan has advantage on saving throws against spells that specifically control undead, such as *command undead* or *control undead*. ***Undead Nature.*** A necropolitan doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep. Willingly shifting from life to unlife, especially in so painful a way, is an ordeal. The creature takes a -4 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. Every time the creature finishes a long rest, the penalty is reduced by 1 until it disappears. ### Nether Hound (of Kiaransalee) "Nether hound" is a template that can be added to any undead with an Intelligence of 4 or higher. Kiaransalee's hounds are chaotic evil, but hounds made by other entities can have different alignments. ***Ability Score Increase.*** Two ability scores of the hound's choice increase by 2. ***Speed.*** A nether hound's speed increases by 10 feet, and it gains a climb speed equal to its new walking speed. ***Skills.*** A nether hound adds twice its proficiency bonus to Investigation, Perception and Survival checks. ***Damage Immunity.*** The nether hound gains immunity to cold damage. ***Condition Immunities.*** The nether hound gains immunity to being charmed or frightened. The nether hound gains the following traits: ***Keen Senses.*** The nether hound has advantage on Intelligence (Investigation), Wisdom (Perception), or Wisdom (Survival) checks that rely on sight, hearing, or smell. ***Magic Weapons.*** The hound’s weapon attacks are magical. The nether hound gains the following action option: ***Baleful Baying.*** The hound bays magically. Every enemy within 300 feet of the hound that can hear it must succeed on a DC (8 + proficiency + Con modifier) Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of the hound’s next turn or until the hound is incapacitated. A frightened target that starts its turn within 30 feet of the hound must use all its movement on that turn to get as far from the hound as possible, must finish the move before taking an action, and must take the most direct route, even if hazards lie that way. A target that successfully saves is immune to the baying of all nether hounds for the next 24 hours. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +1. ### Orcus-Blooded "Orcus-blooded" is a template that can be added to any evil undead that sacrifices at least 10 good-aligned creatures to Orcus. An Orcus-blooded creature gains the following special traits: ***Lifeforce Reserve.*** The Orcus-blooded creature can grant itself 40 temporary hit points (no action required, but can only be done on its turn). These hit points last until it stores them again on its turn, or until they are expended. **If the hit points are expended, all benefits from this template other than the *minor wand of Orcus* are lost.** ***Herald of Orcus.*** The save DCs of necromancy spells cast by an Orcus-blooded creature increase by 1, as do the save DCs of its attacks and special abilities. ***Minor Wand of Orcus.*** The Orcus-blooded creature gains possession of a *minor wand of Orcus*. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +1. \page
### Plaguelost "Plaguelost" is a template that can be applied to any corporeal creature, living or undead, except fiends, celestials, constructs, and elementals. ***Type.*** The plaguelost's type changes to undead if it wasn't already. ***Damage Immunity.*** The plaguelost gains immunity to necrotic and poison damage. ***Damage Resistance.*** The plaguelost gains resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren't silvered. ***Annihilation Aura.*** At the start of each of the plaguelost’s turns, each creature within 5 feet of it takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage, and must make a DC (8 + Con + Proficiency) Constitution save or contract ashdoom. ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The plaguelost can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The plaguelost can cast *gaseous form* at will. It retains its annihilation aura in this form. ***Turn Resistance.*** The plaguelost has advantage against effects that turn undead. The plaguelost cannot make the weapon attacks it previously could but gains the following: ***Life Drain.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +(Proficiency + dexterity) to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit:* ([CR-1)d8 + dex) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC (8+Con + Proficiency) Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. ***Alignment.*** Chaotic evil. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +3 ### Restless Prey ["Restless prey"](http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20030531a) is a template that can be applied to any or beast. The restless prey creature's type changes to undead. It uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here. ***Ability Score Increase.*** The restless prey's Intelligence and Charisma both increase by 6. ***Type.*** The restless prey's type changes to undead. ***Speed.*** The restless prey's speed doubles. ***Attacks.*** Although a restless prey creature has suffered from the brutal excision of its natural attacks, in its new form it has regrown these attacks as extensions of its once living body. Its attacks do force damage instead of the normal type, and the target creature must succeed on a DC (8 + proficiency + Charisma) Constitution saving throw or have its max hit points reduced by the amount of force damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. ***Damage Resistance.*** The restless prey gains resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons. ***Skills.*** The restless prey adds twice its proficiency bonus to Perception and Stealth. ***Fear Aura.*** Any creature hostile to the restless prey that starts its turn within 15 feet of the prey must make a DC (8 + proficiency + Charisma) Wisdom saving throw, unless the prey is incapacitated. On a failed save, the creature is frightened until the start of its next turn. If a creature's saving throw is successful, the creature is immune to the prey's Fear Aura for the next 24 hours. ***Restless Prey Symbiosis.*** A restless prey's Charisma score increases by +2 for each additional restless prey creature within 30 feet. This bonus persists as long as the creatures stay within 30 feet of each other. Additional bonuses to Charisma scores from additional creatures within 30 feet stack with each other. For example, each member of a group of 3 restless prey rhinoceroses gain a total +4 bonus to their individual Charisma scores, as long as all three remain within 30 feet of each other. ***Alignment.*** Always chaotic evil. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +3. ### Skeletal Creature This template can be applied to any living creature that is not a celestial, elemental, fiend, ooze, or plant. A creature must have a skeleton or exoskeleton to become a skeleton. ***Type.*** The skeletal creature's type changes to undead. ***Class Features.*** The skeletal creature loses all class features. ***Damage Immunity.*** The skeleton gains immunity to poison damage. ***Damage Vulnerability.*** The skeleton gains vulnerability to bludgeoning damage. ***Condition Immunities.*** The skeleton gains immunity to the poisoned and exhaustion conditions. ***Ability Score Adjustments.*** The skeleton's scores are adjusted as follows: +2 Dex, -4 lnt, -4 Cha. ***Languages.*** The skeleton understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak. ***Senses.*** The skeleton gains darkvision to a radius of 60 feet. ***Alignment.*** The skeleton's alignment changes to unaligned. ***Challenge Rating.*** As base creature. \page
### Soul-Locked This template can be applied to any creature. ***Undying.*** Whenever the creature dies, it returns to life—or undeath, or animation—4d20 days after being slain (or 8d20 days if the body is completely destroyed, such as by *disintegrate* or immersion in lava). Each soul-locked creature has one specific way in which it can be dispatched permanently. In some cases, this might be a particular type of weapon, or even a specific weapon. In most instances, the creature can be permanently defeated only through indirect means. If the monster is the manifestation of a familial curse, it can be banished forever only by making amends for the sin that called the curse down on the family in the first place. If it’s a demonic entity, the heroes must find the ancient symbols that drew it to the Material World and destroy them. If the beast is a creature of taint, the characters might have to cleanse an entire area of taint or lure the creature to a sacred purifying spring before it will stay dead. ***Challenge Rating.*** As base creature. Even though being soul-locked makes a creature almost impossible to permanently destroy, it does not increase the monster’s Challenge Rating, since it is no harder to defeat the monster in any given encounter. However, permanently defeating this creature should net the players twice the normal amount of XP. In most campaigns, only one or at most two creatures should be soul-locked. If you’re running a campaign in which violence is not a viable solution—such as a campaign in which violence deals taint—a great many creatures (or even all of them) can be soul-locked. ### Tomb Warden This template can be applied to any undead that dedicates itself to the protection of a tomb, graveyard, or similar resting place of the dead. ***Turning Immunity.*** As long as it is within the tomb, graveyard, or similar resting place that it protects, a tomb warden is immune to turning or rebuking. ***Tomb Sense.*** While it is within the tomb, graveyard, or similar resting place it protects, a tomb warden automatically knows the precise location of all intruders within that tomb. This ability is similar to blindsight, except that it functions without regard to line of effect and its effect extends to every portion of the tomb. ***Power of the Dead (1/day).*** While it is within the tomb, graveyard, or similar resting place it protects, a tomb warden can call upon the spirits of the dead to gain insight from them. This ability requires only a bonus action to activate, and grants the tomb warden an extra 1d4 on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. This effect lasts for 10 minutes. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +1. ### Umbral Creature (Shadowy) This template can be applied to any living creature that is not a celestial, elemental, fiend, ooze, or plant. A creature must cast a shadow to become an umbral creature. ***Speed.*** The shadow's speed increases by 10 feet. ***Class Features.*** The shadow creature loses all class features. ***Type.*** The umbral creature's type changes to undead. ***Damage Immunities.*** The shadow gains immunity to necrotic and poison damage. ***Damage Resistances.*** The shadow gains resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks. ***Damage Vulnerability.*** The shadow gains vulnerability to radiant damage. ***Condition Immunities.*** The shadow gains immunity to exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, and restrained. ***Skills.*** The shadow gains proficiency in Stealth checks. ***Amorphous.*** The shadow can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. ***Shadow Stealth.*** While in dim light or darkness, the shadow can take the Hide action as a bonus action. It adds twice its proficiency bonus to Stealth checks. ***Sunlight Weakness.*** While in sunlight, the shadow has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +2. ### Undying > ##### Note > This template is only available if the DM decides that deathless exist in his or her setting. "Undying" is a template that can be applied to any willing, living creature that is not a celestial, elemental, fiend, ooze, or plant. When a creature becomes an undying, it retains all its statistics except as noted below. ***Type.*** The undying's type changes to deathless. ***Damage Immunity.*** The undying gains immunity to poison damage. ***Condition Immunities.*** The undying gains immunity to poisoned. ***Turn Resistance.*** The undying has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns or rebukes deathless. ***Resist Control.*** The undying has advantage on saving throws against spells that specifically control deathless, such as *command deathless* or *control deathless*. ***Undead Nature.*** A undying doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep. \page
### Vecna-Blooded "Vecna-blooded" is a template that can be added to any true neutral or evil creature capable of casting 2nd-level or higher arcane spells. A Vecna-blooded creature gains the following special traits: ***Lifeforce Reserve.*** The Vecna-blooded creature can grant itself 40 temporary hit points (no action required, but can only be done on its turn). These hit points last until it stores them again on its turn, or until they are expended. **If the hit points are expended, all benefits from this template other than Cloak of Mystery are lost.** ***Cloak of Mystery.*** All knowledge of the Vecna-blooded creature fades from the world. Its original name, its deeds before becoming Vecna-blooded, and so forth, disappear from memory. Only Vecna and the Vecna-blooded creature retain this knowledge. A Vecna-blooded creature gains immunity to all divination spells cast against it or cast to learn information about it. Such divination fails to reveal any information. The Vecna-blooded creature immediately learns the name, appearance, and location of the caster who attempted the divination. ***Hidden Spell (1/day).*** Once per day, as a bonus action, a Vecna-blooded creature can cause surprised opponents to take disadvantage on spells the Vecna-blooded creature cast that turn. A Vecna-blooded creature gains the following special action: ***Enigma Aura (1/day).*** The Vecna-blooded creature wraps itself in an aura that makes creatures within 120 feet intermittently forget it’s there. At the start of each affected creature’s turn, that creature has a 50% chance to be unable to target the Vecna-blooded creature in any way, including with spells and special abilities. Area of effect spells can be used against it as long as the area has at least one other creature in its area. The aura lasts for 1 minute after it’s activated. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +1. ### Worm that Walks This template can be applied to any living creature that can cast at least one spell. ***Type.*** The worm that walks creature's type changes to aberration. ***Condition Immunities.*** The worm that walks gains immunity to being grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, and stunned. ***Eternally Watchful.*** The worm that walks's AC increases by 5 and it has advantage on Initiative checks. ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The worm that walks can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: - 1/day: *animal growth* (worms only), *animal messenger* (worms only), *animal shapes* (worms only), *giant vermin* (as *giant insect* except it can only create 3 **dire maggots**) and *vermin plague* (as *insect plague*). ***Return to Worms.*** When the worm that walks is reduced to 0 hit points, it breaks apart into a **swarm of maggots** (VRGR) in the same space. Unless the swarm is destroyed, the worm that walks reforms from it 24 hours later. ***Amorphous.*** The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny worm. ***Speed.*** The worm that walks gains a burrow speed equal to its walking speed. ***Senses.*** The worm that walks gains blinddsight to a radius of 300 feet. A worm that walks gains the following special actions: ***Multiattack.*** The worm can use its Frightful Presence. It then uses Engulf. If the base creature already had Multiattack, it can use either its base Multiattack or the worm's. ***Engulf.*** One creature in the same space as worm must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + worm's Constitution modifier + worm's Proficiency bonus). On a failure, it takes (2*proficiency bonus)d10 piercing damage as wormrs devour it from all sides. ***Frightful Presence.*** Each creature of the worm's choice that is within 120 feet of the worm and aware of it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the worm's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours. ***Challenge Rating.*** Base creature +4. ### Zombified Creature This template can be applied to any living creature that is not a celestial, elemental, fiend, ooze, or plant. A creature must be composed of flesh to become a zombie. When a creature becomes a zombie, it retains all its statistics except as noted below. ***Type.*** The zombified creature's type changes to undead. ***Class Features.*** The zombified creature loses all class features. ***Damage Immunity.*** The zombie gains immunity to poison damage. ***Condition Immunity.*** The zombie gains immunity to the poisoned condition. ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead. ***Ability Score Adjustments.*** The zombie's scores are adjusted as follows: +1 Str, +2 Con, -6 Int, -4 Wis, -4 Cha ***Saving Throws.*** The zombie gains proficiency in Wisdom saves. ***Languages.*** The zombie understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak. ***Speed.*** The zombie's speed is reduced by 10. ***Senses.*** The zombie gains darkvision to a radius of 60 feet. ***Alignment.*** The zombie's alignment changes to unaligned. ***Challenge Rating.*** As base creature. \page
## Variant Abilities Not all undead are created equal. Some display strange or exotic powers, abilities that are uncommon for their type. ### Ghosts Ghosts are a varied bunch, and may have one or more of the abilities listed below. Some traits may increase the ghost's CR. When an effect requires a save, the DC is equal to 8+Cha+Proficiency. All to-hit bonuses are Cha+Proficiency. Any spells listed here require no material components. #### Traits The majority of ghosts have the Rejuvenation trait. ***Rejuvenation.*** If it dies, the ghost returns to life in 2d4 days and regains all its hit points. Only a *wish* spell can prevent this trait from functioning. ***Aura of Despair.*** Whenever a creature starts its turn within 30 feet of the ghost, it must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature cannot take any actions this turn. ***Charm Animals.*** The ghost can cast *animal friendship* at will. ***Charm Person.*** The ghost can cast *charm person* at will. ***Coldfire Radiance.*** At the start of each of the ghost's turns, each creature within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) frostburn damage. A creature that touches the ghost or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) frostburn damage. ***Create Illusions.*** The ghost can innately cast *minor illusion,* *major image* and *phantasmal force* at will. ***Dimension Door.*** The ghost can innately cast *dimension door* at will. ***Disease.*** When the ghost uses its Possession ability, it does not exercise control. Instead, the creature suffers the effects of one disease (chosen by the DM) as long as the ghost remains within it. ***Ghost Light.*** The ghost can innately cast *ghost light* at will. ***Haunt Dreams.*** The ghost can cast *dream* once per day. ***Immunity or Resistance.*** The ghost is immune to one or more of the following types of damage: acid, fire, lightning, or thunder. ***Magical Radiance.*** As a bonus action, the ghost causes all magic items within 60 feet of it to to glow a cold, white radiance. The radiance provides 5 feet of dim light. ***Magic Resistance.*** The ghost has advantage on saves against spells and other magical effects. ***Sagacious.*** The ghost adds half its proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check it makes that doesn't already include its proficiency bonus. It also chooses two skills or tools it has proficiency in, and doubles its proficiency in those skills. #### Actions ***Cause Revulsion (Recharge 5 or 6).*** The ghost touches one creature within 5 feet. The creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. If the save fails by 5 or more, the creature is also incapacitated for the duration, unable to do more than walk weakly and vomit. ***Chill Ray (Recharge 5 or 6).*** *Ranged Spell Attack:* range 90 ft., one target. *Hit* 16 (3d10) cold damage, and the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or be affected as if by a *slow* spell. ***Deathsong (1/day).*** The ghost sings a hollow dirge that lasts for 1 minute or until it loses concentration. All living creatures within 90 feet of the ghost that can hear it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or drop whatever they are holding and become frightened for the duration. While frightened by this ability, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from the ghost by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. If the creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn't have line of sight to the ghost, the creature can make a Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the spell ends for that creature. The ghost deals triple damage with its melee attacks against creatures affected by its Deathsong. ***Drain Memories.*** *Melee Spell Attack:* reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit:* The target forgets everything that has happened in the last 2d10 days, and the target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a success, the memory loss is temporary, and the memories will return naturally over the next 2d4 days. On a failure, the memory loss is permanent until cured with *heal*, *greater restoration*, or *wish*. ***Inhabit Objects (1/day).*** The ghost casts *animate objects* on one or more objects within 10 feet. While animated, the ghost disappears. If all animated objects are destroyed, the ghost is forced back into its normal form. ***Laughter of Madness (Recharge 6).*** The ghost laughs. All other creatures within 20 feet of it must make a Wisdom saving throw or be affected as if by a *confusion* spell for 1 minute. While confused in this way, affected creatures have disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saves. ***Luring Song.*** The ghost sings an enticing song that lasts until it loses concentration. All creatures within 300 feet of the ghost must make a Wisdom saving throw, unless they are deafened or immune to being charmed. On a failure, the creature feels an overpowering urge to head towards the ghost. It must take the Dash action every turn and move as close to the ghost as it can. Once adjacent to the ghost, it can act normally, but it cannot move away willingly. This effect lasts as long as the ghost continues to sing. A target that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the luring song of all ghosts for the next 24 hours. This effect is audible up to 900 feet away. ***Improved Withering Touch.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 17 (4d6 + 3) necrotic damage, and the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it has disadvantage on any saving throw that uses Strength or Constitution until it finishes a long rest. ***Paralyzing Touch.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 7 (3d4) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success \page
***Rebuke Undead (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest).*** The ghost can channel negative energy to make other undead awestruck. As an action, each undead that can see or hear the ghost within 30 feet of it must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is rebuked for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. A rebuked creature must spend its turns cowering in awe. Creatures that are adjacent to it have advantage on attack rolls against it. If an undead of CR 1/2 or lower fails its saving throw against the ghost's Rebuke feature, it can place the creature under your permanent control. The amount of undead the ghost can maintain control on depends on its challenge rating. It can command up to its challenge rating + its Charisma modifier of undead in this way. If it attempts to command more undead after already being at this limit, it must first release control of other undead. #### Wrongs to Put Right Below are listed 10 possible ways to lay a ghost (or other restless spirit) to rest. | # | Wrong | |:----:|:-------------| | 1 | The ghost (or someone it protected) was murdered in cold blood. Bring the killer to justice. | | 2 | The ghost (or someone it protected) was murdered in cold blood. Bring the killer to the ghost. | | 3 | The ghost (or someone it protected) was murdered in cold blood. Destroy the killer. | | 4 | The ghost (or someone it protected) was slain. Return the slain individual to life. | | 5 | Something guarded by the ghost was stolen. Return the object to its rightful place. | | 6 | The ghost left an important task unfinished, such as delivering a message, rescuing a lost individual, or recovering a stolen item. Complete the task. | | 7 | The ghost was a thief in life. Repay the victim(s) of the ghost’s crimes. | | 8 | The ghost was a murderer. Apologize to the family/descendants of the victim(s). | | 9 | The ghost was a murderer. Bring the ghost’s victim(s) back to life. | | 10 | The ghost committed a crime. Bring the ghost before its victim(s) to apologize. | ### Skeletons #### Baneguard The baneguards are a rare type of undead. They have 39 (6d8 + 12) HP, gain immunity to cold damage, and can cast *magic missile* on a recharge of 5 or 6 and *blink* once per short or long rest. #### Direguard The direguard is an improvement upon the original baneguard. It can cast *shield* at will, and it can see invisible and ethereal creatures and objects within 120 feet. They are always surrounded by a cloud of blackish energy. #### Doomfinger Skeleton The doomfinger skeleton can cast *Lahm's finger darts* at will. #### Fiery Skeleton A fiery skeleton burns with unquenchable flame. A fiery skeleton has immunity to fire damage. Its weapon attacks do an extra 1d6 points of fire damage. Variants of the fiery skeleton include the lightning skeleton (deals lightning damage, immunity to lightning), the frost skeleton (deals cold damage, immunity to cold), the ooze skeleton (deals acid damage, immunity to acid), and the storm skeleton (deals thunder damage, immunity to thunder). #### Nimble Skeleton A nimble skeleton can pursue characters across unsteady terrain, rock walls, narrow ledges, and the like. A nimble skeleton's Dexterity increases by 4, and gains a climb speed equal to its walking speed. #### Revived Fossil The revived fossil gains +5 natural armor, has maximum HP, and immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren't adamantine. #### Soldier Skeleton The soldier skeleton works best in groups, and often originates from mass battlefield graves. Soldier skeletons are always skeletal humanoids, giants, or similar creatures. The skeleton has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the skeleton’s allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. Soldier skeletons also usually carry martial weapons and wear better armor. #### Vicious Skeleton Vicious skeletons seem to take mindless pleasure in disemboweling their victims with their devastating claw attacks. Skeletons without claws can’t be vicious skeletons. The vicious skeleton gains the following action options: ***Multiattack.*** The skeleton attacks twice with its claws. If two claws hit the same target, the skeleton rends the target, dealing an extra 2d4 slashing damage. ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage. ### Zombies #### Ash Zombie An ash zombie has the following trait: ***Ash Puff.*** The first time the zombie takes damage, any living creature within 5 feet of the zombie must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain disadvantage on attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on it early with a successful save. #### Bloodthirsty Zombie The bloodthirsty zombie doesn’t just want to destroy you, it wants to crack open your skull and feast on the goo inside. A bloodthirsty zombie gains a bite attack that does the same amount of damage as its slam attack as piercing, unless its bite already does more. If it scores a critical hit with its bite, the target is stunned until the start of the zombie's next turn as the bloodthirsty zombie bites into its head. \page
#### Diseased Zombie What better carrier for a horrible disease than a rotting corpse? Whenever the zombie hits or touches an enemy, that enemy is affected as if by a DC 13 *contagion* spell, but with only one disease chosen by the DM (typically filth fever). A grappled target has disadvantage on its save. #### Fast Zombie Slow zombies are funny. They’re easy to escape on foot. After an encounter with fast zombies, the characters won’t be laughing. Add 30 to the zombie's speed. #### Hunting Zombie It’s pretty easy to hide from a normal zombie, but hunter zombies can follow and find enemies. A hunter zombie's Wisdom increases to 14 unless it was already higher, and it adds twice its proficiency bonus to Perception and Survival. #### Oozespawn Zombie An oozespawn zombie has immunity to acid damage, and its slam attacks do an extra 1d6 acid damage. #### Tyrantfog Zombie Tyrantfog zombies are created when the worshippers of one evil deity were struck down by another. They are surrounded by a permanent *stinking cloud* effect, and have 67 (9d8+27) HP. #### Unkillable Zombie The zombies in the Monster Manual are tough, but an unkillable zombie is nigh-unstoppable. An unkillable zombie regenerates 5 hit points at the start of its turn as long as it has at least 1 hit point, its Constitution increases by 4, and it gains proficiency in Constitution saving throws. ### Mummies #### Clay Mummy A clay mummy loses vulnerability to fire and gains vulnerability to bludgeoning. #### Ice Mummy An ice mummy gains immunity to cold damage. ### Liches A lich may have one or more of the following special traits. Be aware that some of these are very powerful abilities. #### Animate Dead by Touch With but a touch, the lich creates skeletons or zombies. To reassert control, the lich must cast *animate dead* as normal. Some very powerful liches can instead create other undead (as if with *create undead*) with a touch. #### Bone Command The lich is able to animate bone and shape it at its will. As an action, the lich can call up splinters of bone from anywhere bones are present and animate them into a wall of slashing death identical to *blade barrier*, except the damage is 8d10. This effect does not require concentration, but the lich can have only wall of slashing bones active at once. The lich may also form bones into any structure it desires—the only limit is the amount of bone available to the lich. Structures created in this way are only as strong as the bones used to craft them (but some creatures have very strong bones). They last until destroyed, and cannot be *dispelled*, for they are not innately magical. #### Doom Gaze When a creature that can see the lich’s eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of the lich, the lich can force it to make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw if the lich isn’t incapacitated and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is reduced to 0 hit points, unless it is immune to the frightened condition. Otherwise, a creature takes 55 (10d10) psychic damage on a failed save. Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so. it has disadvantage on attack rolls against the lich until the start of its next turn. If the creature looks at the lich in the meantime, it must immediately make the saving throw. #### Grasp of Enfeeblement When the lich hits with its Paralyzing Touch, the target's Strength score is reduced by 1d10. The target dies if this reduces its Strength to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest. #### Ignore Metal As a bonus action, the lich shifts its body out of phase with reality, turning all metal insubstantial to it. All weapons made of metal (even magical ones) pass through the lich dealing no damage. The lich can ignore metal walls or other barriers as it pleases. This ability lasts for 1 minute. The lich can use this power once per day. #### Imitation Immediately after a spell is cast in the presence of the lich, the lich may recast it without expending any slots. For example, if a wizard casts a *fireball* at a lich, the lich makes its normal saving throw and suffers damage accordingly, but it also captures the magical energy, reshapes it into another *fireball*, and sends it back at the attacking party. Note that the lich must perform the Imitation in the round immediately following the spell effect, or the magic dissipates. #### Voice of Maleficence If the lich spends at least 1 minute talking to someone, they must make a Wisdom saving throw or become entranced. While entranced in this way, they will answer all of the lich's questions honestly and fully. They can repeat this save after a minute passes and every subsequent minute that passes, ending the effect on themself on a success. \page
### Miscellaneous #### Baleful Moan *This trait can be applied to any undead with the Incorporeal Movement trait.* As an action, the creature can moan. Every living creature within 30 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + Charisma modifier + Proficiency bonus) or be frightened for 1 minute. On a successful save, the creature is immune to the baleful moan for 24 hours. #### Contagious Paralysis *This trait can be applied to any creature that inflicts paralysis.* A creature paralyzed by the paralyzer carries its paralysis like a disease. Any creature that touches a paralyzed creature must make a save or become paralyzed itself. This can continue to spread. #### Endure Sunlight *This trait can be applied to any creature that suffers adverse affects from being in sunlight.* The creature can resist all adverse effects of sunlight for a number of rounds equal to 1 + its Constitution modifier (minimum 1 round). After this time, if it is still exposed to sunlight, it takes the normal effects as appropriate for its kind. After reentering shade, the creature's timer resets. #### Lifebond *This trait can be applied to any undead.* The undead selects a living creature friendly to it. As long as it is within 60 feet of the creature, the undead has advantage on all saving throws. #### Lifesense *This trait can be applied to any construct or undead.* In addition to any normal light that might be present, the creature sees its surroundings as being are illuminated by roving points of brightness created by living creatures. To its eyes, a Medium or smaller creature gives off life force sufficient to provide bright illumination in a 60-foot radius, revealing itself and all features and objects in range to the creature's life-adapted sight. This life-light behaves like regular light—it can’t see into solid objects, or past solid walls. A Large creature gives off life-light in a 120-foot radius, and the radius doubles again for each additional size category larger than Medium, up to a maximum radius of 480 feet for a Gargantuan creature. #### Hungry for Negative Energy *This trait can be applied to any undead creature* Whenever the creature would take necrotic damage, it instead gains a number of hit points equal to the damage done. #### Spell Drain *This trait can be applied to any undead creature that can cast spells and can reduce max hit points.* When the undead successfully reduces a creature's max hit points, the undead can steal one spell slot. The victim chooses the level of the slot lost, and the undead regains one spell slot of the same level. \page
## Monster Statblocks ___ ___ > ## Abyssal Ghoul >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 19 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 145 (17d8 + 68) > - **Speed** 40 ft., climb 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|16 (+3)|22 (+6)|18 (+4)|15 (+2)|14 (+2)|18 (+4)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Dex +10, Int +6 > - **Skills** Acrobatics +14, Investigation +10, Stealth +14 > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, necrotic > - **Damage Immunities** lightning, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft. > - **Challenge** 11 (7,200 XP) >___ > > ***Assassinate.*** During its first turn, the ghoul has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit the ghoul scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit. > > ***Evasion.*** If the ghoul is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the ghoul instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The ghoul has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***See Lifeforce.*** The ghoul can determine the current and maximum HP of any creature within 120 feet, no action requreid. > > ### Actions > > ***Multiattack.*** The ghoul makes two front claw attacks, two rear claw attack, a bite attack, and a smoky tongue attack. If it hits a creature with both its front claw attacks, the target is grappled (escape DC 15). > > ***Front Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +10 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 9 (1d6 + 6) slashing damage. > > ***Rear Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +10 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 8 (1d4 + 6) slashing damage. If the target is a creature other than an undead, it must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +10 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 13 (2d6 + 6) piercing damage. > > ***Smoky Tongue.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +10 to hit, reach 5ft., one creature grappled by the ghoul. *Hit:* 21 (3d10 + 6) necrotic damage, and the ghoul regains hit points equal to the damage done. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. > > ***Mind Fog.*** The abyssal ghoul conjures a 60-foot-radius cloud of heavily obscured fog centered on a point within 30 feet of it. The fog lasts for 1 minute or until dispersed with moderate or higher wind. Creatures within the fog have disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma checks and saving throws. > > ### Reactions > > ***Uncanny Dodge.*** When the ghoul is hit by an attack, it can use its reaction to halve the damage. ### Abyssal Ghoul Abyssal ghouls are native to the Abyss, and typically serve Doresain, King of the Ghouls. \page
___ ___ > ## All-Consuming Hunger >*Huge swarm of Tiny undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 12 > - **Hit Points** 179 (17d12 + 68) > - **Speed** 40 ft., climb 20 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|6 (-2)|14 (+2)|19 (+4)|8 (-1)|10 (+0)|10 (+0)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, slashing > - **Damage Immunities** acid, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** all its components know > - **Challenge** 8 (3,900 XP) > ___ > ***Swarm.*** The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny bone. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. > >***Turn Vulnerability.*** Because the swarm is a collective of weak undead, the swarm has disadvantage on saving throws against any effect that turns or rebukes undead. > > ***Fear Aura.*** When a creature that can see the all-consuming hunger starts its turn within 60 ft. of the all-consuming hunger, the all-consuming hunger can force it to make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is affected as if by a *fear* spell. > >Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can’t see the all-consuming hunger until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at the all-consuming hunger in the meantime, it must immediately make the save. > > ***Create Spawn.*** Any living creature killed by an all-consuming hunger rises as an all-consuming hunger in 1d4 rounds. > > ### Actions > ***Bone Spikes.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 0ft., one target in the swarm’s space. *Hit* 21 (6d6) piercing damage and 21 (6d6) acid damage, or 10 (3d6) damage each if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with all-consuming wasting. The cursed target can’t regain hit points, and its hit point maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and a new all-consuming hunger rises from its corpse 1d4 rounds later. The curse lasts until removed by the *remove curse* spell or other magic. ### All-Consuming Hunger An all-consuming hunger is a horror made up of the bones of countless creatures, amalgamated into one unholy abomination. \page
___ ___ > ## Apparition >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 > - **Hit Points** 67 (9d8 + 27) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|1 (-5)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|13 (+1)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Skills** Stealth +9, Intimidation +9 > - **Damage Resistances** acid, fire, lightning, thunder > - **Damage Immunities** cold, necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 7 (2,900 XP) > ___ > > ***Ephemeral.*** The apparition can’t wear or carry anything. > > ***Rejuvenation.*** A destroyed apparition gains a new body in d4 + 4 days, regaining all its hit points and becoming active again, unless it was killed on the Ethereal Plane. Apparitions killed on the Ethereal Plane stay dead. > > ***Detect Sentience.*** The apparition can sense the presence and location of any creature within 120 feet of it that has an Intelligence of 3 or higher, regardless of interposing barriers, unless the creature is protected by a *mind blank* spell. This works on targets on the Material Plane while the apparition is on the Ethereal, and vice versa. > > ***Ethereal Sight.*** The apparition can see 60 ft. into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa. > > ***Terrifying Incorporeal Movement.*** The apparition can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. Any creature it moves through must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn. > > ***Ambush Hunter.*** Any creature surprised by the apparition has disadvantage on saving throws against its Terrifying Incorporeal Movement and Scare to Death for as long as it is surprised. > > ### Actions > > ***Scare to Death.*** The apparition terrifies one creature within 5 feet of it. The creature must make a DC 14 Intelligence saving throw against this magic. On a success, it suffers no ill effects and is immune to this apparition's Scare to Death for 24 hours. On a failure, it must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. If it fails this saving throw, it drops to 0 hit points, unless it is immune to being frightened. On a success, it must drop whatever it is holding and becomes frightened for 1 minute. > > While frightened in this way, it must take the Dash action and move away from the apparition by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move, in which case it must take the Dodge action. If it ends its turn where it can't see the apparition, it can repeat the Intelligence save, ending the effect on a success. > > A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this attack that subsequently dies before being healed rises 2d4 hours later as a free-willed apparition. Even if the creature is healed or resurrected before then, it will always fail its Intelligence save against this apparition in the future. > > ***Etherealness.*** The apparition enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. ### Apparition Apparitions are undead creatures who cannot deal damage to the living. They can, however, convince the living that they are dying, and only magical or silvered blades can hurt their semiexistent substance. \page
___ > ## Ashen Husk >*Medium undead, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 11 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 53 (7d8 + 21) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|15 (+2)|8 (-1)|16 (+3)|3 (-4)|10 (+0)|15 (+2)| >___ > - **Saves** Wis +2 > - **Damage Resistances** fire, necrotic > - **Damage Immunities** dessication, poison > - **Condition Immunities** poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak > - **Challenge** 2 (450 XP) > ___ > ***Dehydrating Aura.*** At the start of each of the ashen husk’s turns, each creature within 10 feet of it takes 9 (2d8) dessication damage and it is considered to not have drunk any water today, regardless of how much it has drunk. It must drink twice its normally daily amount the rest of the day to avoid exhaustion due to dehydration (see the Player's Handbook). > > A humanoid slain by this ability rises 24 hours later as a free-willed ashen husk, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. > > ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces the ashen husk to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5+the damage taken, unless the damage is cold or from a critical hit. On a success, the ashen husk drops to 1 hit point instead. > ### Actions > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. ### Ashen Husk Ashen husks lost their lives to unquenchable thirst. The evidence of their dry death is obvious as a supernatural deliquescent aura. Ashen husks stand just shy of 6 feet tall, but in their dehydrated state, weigh only about 140 pounds. Many ashen husks died of exposure in the open desert when they became lost without water. Sometimes entire caravans go lost, and many of these unfortunate creatures might be seen years later as stumbling corpses with a thirst born in hellish heat. \page
___ ___ > ## Avolakia >*Large aberration (shapechanger, wormspawn), neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 158 (21d10 + 42) > - **Speed** 20 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|17 (+3)|15 (+2)|15 (+2)|16 (+3)|17 (+3)|22 (+6)| >___ > - **Skills** Acrobatics +7, Arcana +11, Deception +14, Persuasion +14, Religion +11 > - **Damage Resistanes** fire, necrotic > - **Damage Immunities** cold > - **Condition Immunities** paralyzed > - **Senses** darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13 > - **Languages** Avolakia, Common, Deep Speech, Undercommon > - **Challenge** 10 (5,900 XP) > ___ > ***Freedom of Movement.*** When in its true form, the avolakia ignores difficult terrain, and magical effects can't reduce its speed or cause it to be restrained. It can spend 5 feet of movement to escape from nonmagical restraints or being grappled. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The avolakia's spellcasting ability is Charisma (+10 to hit, spell save DC 18). The avolakia can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *chill touch* (3d8), *call undead, command undead, detect magic, ghoul touch, halt undead, mage hand, reaving aura* (30 ft.), *spectral hand, vampiric touch, watchful eye* > > 3/day each: *animate dead, dread blast, fear* > > 1/day each: *animate infectious zombie, create undead, door of decay, elemental shroud, feast of flesh, rally of the damned, undead conduit, undead lieutenant* > > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The avolakia has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Shapechanger.*** The avolakia can use its action to polymorph into a Small or Medium humanoid, or back into its true form. Other than its size, its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies. > > ***Regeneration.*** The avolakia regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn. If the avolakia takes acid or lightning damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the avolakia's next turn. The avolakia dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The avolakia makes one bite attack and eight tentacle claw attacks. > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* + to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. > > ***Tentacle Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. Instead of dealing damage, the avolakia can grapple the target (escape DC 15). > > ***Suggestion.*** The avolakia targets one humanoid it can see within 30 ft. of it. If the target can hear the avolakia, the target must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be affected as if by a *suggestion* spell. The suggestion lasts for up to 8 hours. ### Avolakia These horrid sluglike aberrations are cultists of Kyuss, and love creating undead in his honor. \page
___ > ## Banedead >*Medium undead, lawful evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 (studded leather) > - **Hit Points** 37 (5d8 + 15) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|12 (+1)|14 (+2)|16 (+3)|10 (+0)|12 (+1)|15 (+2)| >___ > - **Saves** Wis +3 > - **Skills** Stealth +4, Perception +3 > - **Damage Resistances** cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren't silvered > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 1 (200 XP) > ___ > ***Rampage.*** When the banedead reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on its turn, it can take a bonus action to move up to half its speed and make a bite attack. > > ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces the banedead to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the banedead drops to 1 hit point instead. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The banedead makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws, or two with its claws. > > ***Claws.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage, and the target's speed is halved and it has disadvantage on Dexterity checks and saves until the end of the banedead's next turn. > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. ### Banedead Banedead are a form of undead created from the fanatical worshipers of an evil deity. The creatures appear as withered humans, drained of life and vitality. The malevolent force that animates them manifests in their glowing red eyes. One of a banedead’s hands is always twisted into a hideous claw. ### Beastwraith Beastwraiths are malevolent spirits that form when a large number of animals are killed and left to rot, such as through years of sport hunting, great forest fires, or magical cataclysms. ___ > ## Beastwraith >*Small undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 12 > - **Hit Points** 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|1 (-5)|14 (+2)|13 (+1)|6 (-2)|15 (+2)|13 (+1)| >___ > - **Skills** Stealth +6, Perception +3, Survival +3 > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 > - **Languages** understands Sylvan but can't speak > - **Challenge** 3 (700 XP) > ___ > > ***Savage Nature.*** Beasts are unnerved by the presence of a beastwraith. Any beast within 30 feet of a beastwraith must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or become driven by bloodlust to attack the nearest non-beast living creature. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be affected again by the same beastwraith's savage nature aura for 24 hours. > > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The beastwraith can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > ### Actions > > ***Natural Attack.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 10 (3d6) necrotic damage, if this damage reduces the creature to 0 hit points, it must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it dies, the beastwraith gains 1d8 + 2 temporary hit points, and if the killed creature was a beast it rises as a beastwraith. > > ***Terrifying Howl.*** The beastwraith howls. Any living creature within 300 feet of the beastwraith and able to hear its howl must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for l minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to any beastwraith's Terrifying Howl for the next 24 hours. \page
___ > ## Blackskate >*Large undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 77 (9d10 + 27) > - **Speed** 5 ft., swim 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|20 (+5)|17 (+3)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)| >___ > - **Skills** Nature +4, Perception +6, Survival +9 > - **Damage Immunities** cold, necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 300 ft., passive Perception 15 > - **Languages** Aquan, Sahuagin > - **Challenge** 5 (1,800 XP) > ___ > ***Blood Rage (3/day).*** If the blackskate starts its turn within 30 feet of a living creature that is below its hit point maximum, it can enter a blood rage as a bonus action. While raging, it gains the following benefits: > - It has advantage on all Strength checks and Strength saving throws. > - When it makes a melee weapon attack using Strength, it deals an extra 2 damage. > - It has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. > > The blackskate's rage lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if it is knocked unconscious. It can also end its rage on its turn as a bonus action. > > ***Swimby.*** The blackskate doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it swims out of an enemy's reach. > > ***Blood Tracker.*** A blackskate is capable of tracking anyone whose has lost hit points within 30 feet of it in the water. It can follow any such trail infallibly, as long as its quarry remains in the same body of water as the blackskate. It succeeds automatically, unless the quarry uses some magical means of concealing its path. In such an instance, the blackskate can make a Survival check (against the caster's spell save DC) in order to continue tracking its prey. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The blackskate makes one bite attack and one stinger attack. > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 9 (1d8 + 5) piercing damage. > > ***Stinger.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. ___ > ## Blaspheme >*Medium undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 136 (16d8+64) > - **Speed** 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|22 (+6)|13 (+1)|18 (+4)|7 (-2)|15 (+2)|10 (+0)| >___ > - **Skills** Perception +5, Survival +5 > - **Saving Throws** Intelligence +1, Wisdom +5 > - **Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical sources > - **Damage Immunities** cold, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 15 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 7 (2,900 XP) > ___ > ***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the blaspheme has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. > > ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces the blaspheme to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead. > > ***Turn Resistance.*** The blaspheme has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The blaspheme bites once and uses its claws twice. > > ***Claws.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage. > > ***Blasphemous Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 13 (2d6 + 6) necrotic damage. If the target is nonevil, it is incapacitated for 1 round and its Strength score is reduced by 1d6. The target dies if this reduces its Strength to 0. ### Blackskate These rays are found at the very bottom of ancient trenches. They hungrily prey upon any life they encounter. ### Blaspheme The blaspheme is a legendarily powerful undead, found in ancient tombs. \page
___ > ## Bleakborn/Moil Zombie >*Medium undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 71(11d8 + 22) > - **Speed** 30ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|19 (+4)|15 (+2)|14 (+2)|12 (+1)|13 (+1)|12 (+1)| >___ > - **Skills** Athletics +7, Insight +4, Intimidation +4, Perception +4, Stealth +5 > - **Damage Immunities** fire, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, frightened, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 > - **Languages** Moilian, Common > - **Challenge** 6 (2,300 XP) > ___ > > ***Fire Absorption.*** Whenever the bleakborn is subjected to fire damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the fire damage dealt. > > ***Heat-Draining Aura.*** At the start of each of the bleakborn's turns, each creature within 30 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) cold damage, or half damage with a successful DC 13 Constitution save. A creature that touches the bleakborn or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 3 (1d6) cold damage. > > ***Contingent Regeneration.*** The bleakborn regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if in range of a living creature that it can affect with its heat-draining aura. Even if brought to 0 hit points or killed, a bleakborn eventually heals if a living creature at some future date wanders within 30 feet of the bleakborn’s remains, automatically triggering its heat-draining aura. > > ***Cold to the Touch.*** The touch of a bleakborn deals 2d6 points of cold damage (included in the attack). > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The bleakborn makes two slam attacks. > > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 9 (1d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) cold damage, and the bleakborn regains hit points equal to the cold damage done. > > ***Create Zombie.*** The bleakborn targets a humanoid within 10 feet of it. The target's body rises as a zombie in the space of its corpse or in the nearest unoccupied space. The zombie is under the bleakborn's control. The bleakborn can have no more than twelve zombies under its control at one time. > >Sometimes a newly created spawn becomes a bleakborn instead of a mere zombie, though the wiles of the dark gods determine such instances (that is, the DM decides when this occurs). ___ > ## Bloodhulk >*Large undead, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 11 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 224 (14d10 + 84) > - **Speed** 20 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|16 (+3)|9 (-1)|22 (+6)|3 (-4)|10 (+0)|1 (-5)| >___ > - **Saves** Con +9, Wis +3 > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, frightened, poisoned > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** piercing, slashing > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak > - **Challenge** 5 (1,800 XP) > ___ > ***Blood Bloated.*** The bloodhulk always gains the maximum possible hit points from hit dice. > > ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces the bloodhulk to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the bloodhulk drops to 1 hit point instead. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The bloodhulk makes two slam attacks. > > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. ### Bleakborn/Moil Zombie An ancient city was cursed by Orcus so that its citizens would sleep whenever the sun was down. Then he sent them to a pocket dimension with no sun, and they all died and rose as Moil zombies. ### Bloodhulk Created by necromancers, bloodhulks are mighty juggernauts. Bloodhulks can withstand an immense amount of punishment from spells and blunt weapons, though they die more quickly from blades. \page
___ > ## Boneclaw >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 157 (15d10 + 75) > - **Speed** 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|21 (+5)|16 (+3)|19 (+4)|14 (+2)|14 (+2)|19 (+4)| >___ > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Damage Immunities** cold, poison > - **Damage Resistances** necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 5 (1,800 XP) > ___ > ***Retractable Claws.*** As a bonus action, the boneclaw increases its reach to 20 until the start of its next turn. > > ***Reactive.*** The boneclaw can take one reaction on every turn in combat. > > ***Tunnel Fighter.*** As a bonus action, the boneclaw can enter a defensive stance that lasts until the start of its next turn. While in its defensive stance, it can make opportunity attacks without using its reaction, and it can use its reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5 feet while within its reach. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The boneclaw makes two claw attacks. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. *Hit* 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage. ### Boneclaw Created by powerful necromancers, boneclaws love to slaughter the living. > ##### Note > > An alternate boneclaw is presented in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. ___ > ## Bonedrinker >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 (hide armor) > - **Hit Points** 120 (16d8 + 48) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|16 (+3)|8 (-1)|11 (+0)|9 (-1)| >___ > - **Skills** Stealth +6, Survival +2 > - **Saving Throws** Wisdom +2 > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 > - **Languages** Common, Goblin > - **Challenge** 4 (1,100 XP) > ___ > ***Nimble Escape.*** The bonedrinker can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns. > > ***Brute.*** A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when the bonedrinker hits with it (included in the attack). > > ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces the bonedrinker to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5+the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The bonedrinker makes two claw attacks and one tentacle attack. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). > > ***Tentacle.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 8 (2d4 + 3) acid damage, and the target’s Constitution score is reduced by 1d6. The target dies if this reduces its Constitution to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest. ### Bonedrinker These creatures are created from bugbears, or sometimes goblins, by hobgoblin clerics and wizards. They liquify and drink bones, much like how vampires feast on blood. \page
___ > ## Bonespitter >*Large undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 19 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 38 (3d10 + 21) > - **Speed** 40 ft., climb 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|13 (+1)|24 (+7)|24 (+7)|13 (+1)|1 (-5)|19 (+4)| >___ > - **Skills** Acrobatics +9, Arcana +5, Stealth +9 > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** force > - **Damage Resistances** electricity, thunder > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned, prone > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 5 > - **Languages** Abyssal, Common, Celestial, Infernal > - **Challenge** 3 (700 XP) > ___ > > ***Displacement.*** The bonespitter's planar magic distorts light around it, causing attack rolls against it to have disadvantage. If it is hit by an attack, this trait is disrupted until the end of its next turn. This trait is also disrupted while the bonespitter is incapacitated or has a speed of 0. Truesight negates this effect, but seeing invisibility doesn't. > > ***Many Heads.*** The bonespitter has advantage on saving throws against being blinded, deafened, stunned, knocked unconscious, or turn undead. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The bonespitter’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. The bonespitter can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *counterspell, dispel magic* > > ***Reactive.*** The bonespitter can take one reaction on every turn in combat. > > ### Actions > > ***Whirlwind Blows.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* The target takes 14 (2d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with dripping decay. The cursed target's hit point maximum decreases by 2 (1d4) for every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and its body turns to slime. 1 round later, it rises as a free-willed bonespitter. The curse lasts until removed by the *remove curse* spell or other magic. > > ***Bone Shards.*** *Ranged Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. *Hit:* The target takes 13 (1d12 + 7) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, see Whirlwind Blows for dripping decay. > ### Bonespitter The bonespitter is a horrid creature created when planar rifts tear multiple creatures apart and then reassemble them into an amalgamation. \page
___ > ## Boneworm >*Gargantuan undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 11 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 165 (10d20+60) > - **Speed** 30 ft., burrow 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|29 (+9)|3 (-4)|22 (+6)|7 (-2)|10 (+0)|17 (+3)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Con +10, Wis +4 > - **Damage Immunities** fire, necrotic, poison > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** cold > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, prone > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** understands Common but rarely speaks > - **Challenge** 12 (8,400 XP) > ___ > > ***Desiccation Aura.*** Any creature that starts its turn within 90 feet of a boneworm takes 10 (3d6) dessication damage. If the boneworm has at least 1 hit point remaining, it regains hit points equal to the damage done. > > ***Dreadful Chanting.*** A boneworm's numerous mouths constantly chant half-remembered hymns and prayers. This chanting, consisting as it does of dozens of different hymns, sounds like a swarm of giant flies trying to mimic human voices with their buzzing. A living creature that starts its turn within 90 feet of a boneworm that can hear the boneworm must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 15) against this effect or become frightened until the start of its next turn. Divine spellcasters have disadvantage on this saving throw. Additionally, a divine spellcaster must make a successful spellcasting ability check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a divine spell in while in the area of the boneworm's chanting. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The boneworm has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Siege Monster.*** The boneworm deals double damage to objects and structures. > ### Actions > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 35 (4d12 + 9) bludgeoning damage, and if the target is a creature, it must succeed at a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or contract bonefire. See under Diseases in [the companion document.](http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/HJ-xEkR-77#p2) ___ > ## Boneyard >*Huge undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 188 (15d12 + 90) > - **Speed** 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|25 (+7)|12 (+1)|22 (+6)|18 (+4)|17 (+3)|18 (+4)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 > - **Languages** Common, Terran, Abyssal > - **Challenge** 15 (13,000 XP) > ___ > ***Regeneration.*** The boneyard regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. > ### Actions > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. *Hit:* 23 (3d10 + 7) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 20). If the target is a creature that has a skeletal structure, it must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes an additional 44 (8d10) piercing damage and suffers the effects of a *ray of enfeeblement* for 1 minute as its bones slough out to join the boneyard. The creature takes half damage and suffers no other effects on a success. > > ***Utter Subsumption.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature with a skeletal structure grappled by the boneyard. *Hit:* The target takes 110 (20d10) piercing damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the boneyard kills the target by pulling out every bone from its body. ### Boneworm The dreaded [boneworm](http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20020817a) is an amalgamation of dead desert-dwelling monks and priests. The insane tangle of bodies is fueled by a hatred of the deity and religion that failed to protect them all from starvation, thirst, and general insanity. ### Boneyard A boneyard is a huge collective of bones from thousands of creatures, animated into one horrific mass. \page
___ ___ > ## Brain in a Jar >*Tiny undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 > - **Hit Points** 35 (10d6) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|1 (-5)|14 (+2)|10 (+0)|18 (+4)|14 (+2)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Skills** Arcana +8, History +8, Insight +4, Investigation +6, Persuasion +7 > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, prone > - **Senses** blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak, telepathy 120 ft. > - **Challenge** 4 (1,100 XP) > ___ > ***Mental Fortification.*** The brain in a jar adds its Intelligence bonus to its AC. > > ***Turn Resistance.*** The brain in a jar has resistance against all effects that turn undead. > > ***Psionics.*** The brain has 27 psi points and a psi limit of 5. It can innately manifest the following powers (DC 14): > > Talents: *blind spot, delusion, mind thrust, mystic hand* > > Disciplines: *mastery of force, nomadic mind, telepathic contact* > > ***Madness.*** Anyone targeting a brain in a jar with a thought detection, mind control, or any sort of telepathic or psionic ability that makes direct contact with its tortured mind with any method other than the brain's own telepathy must make a DC 14 Intelligence saving throw. On a failure, it takes 21 (6d6) psychic damage and is insane until it finishes a long rest. While insane, it can’t take actions, can’t understand what other creatures say, can’t read, and speaks only in gibberish. A *greater restoration* spell cast on it ends this effect. > > ### Actions > > ***Rebuke Undead.*** Each undead that can see or hear the brain within 30 feet of it must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is rebuked for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. > > A rebuked creature must spend its turns cowering in awe. Creatures that are adjacent to it have advantage on attack rolls against it. > > Undead of CR 1/2 or lower that fail their saving throws against its Rebuke Undead feature can be placed under its permanent control. It can control 9 undead in this way. > > > ***Control Undead.*** As an action, the brain targets one undead creature within 30 feet of it. The target must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target must obey its commands for the next 24 hours, or until it uses this Channel Negative Energy option again. An undead over CR 4 is immune to this effect. ### Brain in a Jar Brilliant scholars and expert manipulators, brains-in-a-jar are hated by the living and dead alike. They possess fearsome psionic powers. > ##### Brains in Jars Without Psionics > > If you are not using psionics in your campaign, replace the brain's Innate Psionics with the following one: > > Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The brain in a jar’s innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components: > > At will: *detect thoughts, dissonant whispers, mage hand* > > 3/day each: *dominate monster, telekinesis* \page
___ ___ > ## Broodfiend >*Huge fiend (wormspawn), neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 19 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 473 (35d12 + 245) > - **Speed** 40 ft., fly 80 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|26 (+8)|14 (+2)|24 (+7)|14 (+2)|14 (+2)|19 (+4)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Con +13, Wis +8 > - **Damage Resistances** cold, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered > - **Damage Immunities** acid, necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, frightened, poisoned > - **Senses** blindsight 120 ft., truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** Abyssal, Common, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft. > - **Challenge** 20 (25,000 XP) > ___ > > ***Regeneration.*** The broodfiend regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn. If the broodfiend takes radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the broodfiend’s next turn. The broodfiend dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The broodfiend has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Undead Affinity.*** The broodfiend can choose to be considered undead for the purposes of any spell or effect (so a *negative energy flood* aids it, while *turn undead* has no effect upon it). > > ***Magic Weapons.*** The broodfiend’s weapon attacks are magical. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The broodfiend’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18). The broodfiend can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *dispel magic* (5th level), *grasping worms, mindworms, path of worms* > > 3/day: *feeblemind, servant of the green corruption* > > ***Noxious Mist.*** The broodfiend constantly breathes out a noxious gas forming a 15 foot sphere centered upon it. This fog clouds both sight and thought. The broodfiend is lightly obscured against any creature within 15 feet of it, and heavily obscured against any creature further away. Any creature that enters the fog or starts its turn there must make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is poisoned until the start of its next turn, and incapacitated while poisoned in this way. On a success, it is immune being poisoned by the obscuring mist of all broodfiends for 24 hours. > > Dead bodies within the area of this mist quickly become saturated with necromantic energy, and rise as favored spawn of Kyuss in 24 hours. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The broodfiend makes two bite attacks and uses its wing attack. > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 27 (3d12 + 8) piercing damage, and the target’s Intelligence score is reduced by 1d8. The target dies if this reduces its Intelligence to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until cured by *greater restoration* or similar magic. > > If a creature dies from this attack, it rises as a favored spawn of kyuss under the broodfiend's control in 1d4 rounds. > > ***Wing Attack.*** Each creature within 15 ft. of the broodfiend must succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or take 11 (1d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. > > ***Noxious Breath (Recharge 5-6).*** The broodfiend exhales acid in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Also on a failed save, the creature deals only half damage with weapon attacks that use Strength for 1 minute. > > ***Teleport.*** The broodfiend magically teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 120 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. ### Broodfiend Kyuss's clerics have invented these horrific fiends. They exist to spread his dark influence and bring about the Age of Worms. \page
___ > ## Church Grim >*Medium undead, lawful good or neutral good* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 105 (14d8 + 42) > - **Speed** 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|18 (+4)|18 (+4)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)| >___ > - **Skills** Insight +9, Intimidation +7, Perception +9 > - **Damage Resistances** acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Damage Immunities** cold, necrotic, poison, radiant > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 19 > - **Languages** understands Common, Celestial, Infernal, and Abyssal but can't speak > - **Challenge** 6 (2,300 XP) > ___ > > ***Bound.*** The church grim is magically bound to a graveyard, church, or other holy place and cannot go further than 60 feet from it. As long as this place exists, if the grim is destroyed it is reborn the next night with all of its hit points. > > ***Daylight Ethereality.*** If the grim starts its turn in sunlight, it is transported to the Ethereal Plane. While sunlight shines on the spot from which it vanished, the hound must remain in the Ethereal. Once the sunlight is gone, it returns to the Material. > > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The grim can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > > ***Keen Senses.*** The grim has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell. > > ***Pure.*** All evil creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls against the grim, and it has advantage on all saving throws against their spells and abilities. > > ***Soul Scent.*** As a bonus action, the grim can target any number of creatures it can smell within 60 feet. If a target fails a DC 14 Charisma saving throw, it learns the creature’s alignment. Celestials, fiends, and undead automatically fail the saving throw. Any evil creature that fails this saving throw is frightened until the end of the grim's next turn. > > > ***Turn Immunity.*** The grim is immune to effects that turn undead. However, it can still be rebuked. > > ### Actions > ***Spectral Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 35 (7d8 + 4) radiant damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. ___ > ## Cinderspawn >*Large undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 > - **Hit Points** 82 (11d8 + 33) > - **Speed** 50ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|12 (+1)|19 (+4)|16 (+3)|11 (+0)|11 (+0)|17 (+3)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** fire, poison > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** cold > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 5 > - **Languages** Ignan > - **Challenge** 5 (1,800 XP) > ___ > > ***Fire Absorption.*** Whenever the cinderspawn is subjected to fire damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the fire damage dealt. > > ***Frostfire Shield.*** A creature that touches the cinderspawn or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 5 (1d10) cold damage. > > ***Water Susceptibility.*** For every 5 ft. the cinderspawn moves in water, or for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 1 cold damage. > > ### Actions > ***Siphon Warmth.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 22 (4d8 + 4) cold damage. If the target took any cold damage, it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. ### Church Grim Church grims are holy protectors, the spirits of those who have died and now guard a sacred place against defilers. ### Cinderspawn Cinderspawn are fire elementals who have burned out. \page
___ > ## Cursed Spirit >*Medium undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 > - **Hit Points** 30 (4d8 + 12) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|6 (-2)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|9 (-1)|8 (-1)|15 (+2)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 2 (450 XP) > ___ > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The cursed spirit can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the cursed spirit has disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. > > ### Actions > ***Life Drain.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 12 (2d8 + 3) necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. If this attack reduces the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target dies. This reduction to the target’s hit point maximum lasts until the target finishes a long rest. > > ***Cursed Aura.*** All creatures of the cursed spirit's choice within 5 feet of the cursed spirit suffer disadvantage on all saving throws until the start of the cursed spirit's next turn. ### Cursed Spirit Those who die while under terrible curses or inimical enchantments sometimes linger on as cursed spirits, bringing their misfortune to others. ___ > ## Crypt Thing >*Medium undead, neutral* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 38 (5d8 + 15) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|12 (+1)|18 (+4)|16 (+3)|13 (+1)|13 (+1)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Skills** Insight +5, Intimidation +7, Perception +5 > - **Damage Resistances** cold, necrotic > - **Damage Immunities** poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, unconscious > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 > - **Languages** Common, Undercommon > - **Challenge** 3 (700 XP) > ___ > ***Turn Immunity.*** The crypt thing is immune to effects that turn undead. > > ***Bound.*** A crypt thing is bound to a specific crypt or tomb, and can never leave it willingly. It has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws as long as it is outside its crypt. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The crypt thing makes two claw attacks. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage. > > ***Scatter Defilers (1/day).*** The crypt thing chooses any number of creatures within 30 feet of it. Each creature must make a DC 13 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, the creature is teleported 10d10 * 10 feet in a random direction. ### Crypt Thing Created by the *create crypt thing* spell or sometimes arising naturally when the spirits of the departed rise to protect the bodies of their descendants, crypt things are strange creatures. They are happy to ignore those who come to pay respects or are peaceful; those who come to defile the tombs or are aggressive are teleported away if possible. It will maintain that the teleported victims have been *disintegrated*. >##### Variant: Aberrant Crypt Things > >There are rumors of crypt things that possess the following trait instead of Scatter Defilers: > > ***Cloak Defilers (1/day).*** The crypt thing chooses any number of creatures within 30 feet of it. Each creature must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is paralyzed for 24 hours, and invisible while paralyzed in this way. \page
___ ___ > ## Deadwood Revenant >*Medium undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 (16 with *barkskin*) > - **Hit Points** 60 (8d8 + 24) > - **Speed** 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|6 (-2)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|15 (+2)|18 (+4)| >___ > - **Skills** Intimidation +10, Perception +5, Stealth +9 > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 > - **Languages** Common, Elvish, Sylvan > - **Challenge** 7 (2,900 XP) > ___ > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The deadwood can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. She takes 5 (1d10) force damage if she ends her turn inside an object. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The deadwood's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15). The deadwood can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *bestow curse, bestow eternal curse, druidcraft* > > 3/day each: *entangle, inflict wounds* > > 1/day each: *barkskin, pass without trace, shillelagh* > > ***Tree Stride.*** Once on her turn, the deadwood can use 10 feet of her movement to step magically into one living or dead tree within her reach and emerge from a second living or dead tree within 500 feet of the first tree, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the second tree. Both trees must be Large or bigger. > > ***Curse Upon Mankind.*** The presence of a deadwood revenant has an ill effect on the fate of humanoids, for her very existence is an act of sacred retribution against them. Any humanoid within 120 feet of a deadwood revenant suffer disadvantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. > > If the existence of a deadwood revenant is caused by non-humanoids, then her ability might affect creatures of a different type, although this is rare. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The deadwood has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Speak with Beasts and Plants.*** The deadwood can communicate with beasts and plants as if they shared a language. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The deadwood makes two darkfire ray attacks. > > ***Darkfire Ray.*** *Ranged Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 60 ft., one target. *Hit* 11 (2d10) necrotic damage. This damage bypasses resistance and immunity. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. > > ***Fey Charm.*** The deadwood targets one humanoid or beast that she can see within 30 feet of her. If the target can see the deadwood, it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed. The charmed creature regards the deadwood as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn't under the deadwood's control, it takes the deadwood's requests or actions in the most favorable way it can. > >Each time the deadwood or its allies do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until the deadwood dies, is on a different plane of existence from the target, or ends the effect as a bonus action. If a target's saving throw is successful, the target is immune to the deadwood's Fey Charm for the next 24 hours. > >The deadwood can have no more than up to three humanoids and up to three beasts charmed at a time. > > ***True Curse (3/day).*** The deadwood revenant bestows an even more powerful curse on a creature she has already cursed with her *bestow curse* or *bestow eternal curse*. The target, no matter how far away, must then succeed at a DC 15 Will save. Failure indicates that no spell short of a *wish* can lift the curse for as long as the deadwood revenant exists. > >Because of the bond forged between the victim's fate and the deadwood revenant's existence, anyone affected in this way who is aware of the cause of its curse may attempt a DC 20 Wisdom check as an action. On a success, it learns the exact distance and direction to the deadwood revenant's current location. ### Deadwood Revenant Deadwood revenants are ghostlike beings who arise when a dryad's sacred oak is among the trees felled in a massive act of deforestation. Nature itself is the source of the dark energies that give the restless soul of the dryad unlife: its very existence is an act of retribution against mankind. Deadwood revenants exist to make humanoids pay for their crimes against nature. \page
___ > ## Deathlock >*Medium undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 (mage armor) > - **Hit Points** 39 (7d8 + 7) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|9 (-1)|15 (+2)|12 (+1)|14 (+2)|13 (+1)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Skills** Arcana +6 > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 3 (700 XP) > ___ > ***Turn Resistance.*** The deathlock has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. > > ***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the deathlock has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The deathlock's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13). The deathlock can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components > > At will: *detect magic, inflict wounds* > > 3/day: *fear, magic missile, mage armor* > > 2/day: *hold monster* > ### Actions > ***Death Bolt.*** *Ranged Spell Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 120ft., one target. *Hit* 9 (2d8) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. ### Deathlock When a spellcaster dies, sometimes their corpse rises, still charged with magic. This is not a lich, and indeed is only a pale echo of the living caster. > ##### Note > > An alternate deathlock is presented in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. ### Deathshrieker Deathshriekers are the remains of the dying screams of thousands of souls. Sometimes, their former haunts continue to ring out with screams even centuries after being destroyed. ___ > ## Deathshrieker >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 11 > - **Hit Points** 48(1d4 + 5) > - **Speed** 0ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|6 (-2)|22 (+6)|16 (+3)|10 (+0)|13 (+1)|19 (+4)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** Common and one other > - **Challenge** 15 (6530 XP) > ___ > ***Death Rattle.*** When a deathshrieker is destroyed, it releases a final, devastating shriek. All creatures within 300 feet must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or drop to 0 hit points. On a success, they instead take 10d10 psychic damage. Creatures in a *silence* spell gain advantage on the saving throw. > > ***Despair.*** At the mere sight of a deathshrieker, a creature must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. It can repeat the saving throws at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on it on a success. While frightened in this way, the creature is also paralyzed. If a target's saving throw is successful, the target is immune to the deathshrieker's Despair for the next 24 hours. > > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The deathshrieker can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ***Silence Sensitivity.*** When it starts its turn in a *silence* spell or similar effect, the deathshrieker takes 22 (4d10) force damage and has disadvantage on its attack rolls until the start of its next turn. > ### Actions > ***Touch of Horror.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 61 (10d10 + 6) psychic damage, and the target has disadvantage on Wisdom checks and saving throws for 1 minute. > > ***Scream of the Dying (1/day).*** All creatures within 300 feet must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they drop to 0 hit points. \page
___ > ## Artaaglith >*Medium fiend (demon), chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 113 (15d8 + 45) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|14 (+2)|13 (+1)|16 (+3)|13 (+1)|14 (+2)|14 (+2)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Dex +4, Con +6, Wis +5, Cha +5 > - **Damage Resistances** cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft. > - **Challenge** 5 (1,800 XP) > ___ > > ***Lord of the Dead.*** All free mindless undead see the demon as an ally and obey it. Other undead must make a DC 13 Charisma saving throw to harm it. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The artaaglith has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The artaaglith’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13). The artaaglith can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *animate dead, cause fear, clutch of Orcus, desecrate, exhume, Kelgore's grave mist* > > 1/day each: *fear, finger of agony, stinking cloud* > > > ### Actions > > ***Multiattack.*** The artaaglith makes two attacks. > > ***Flail.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 7 (1d10 + 2) bludgeoning damage. If the creature has 10 hit points or fewer after taking this damage, it instantly dies. > > ***Order Undead (Recharges on a Short or Long Rest):*** > > **Rebuke Undead.** Each undead that can see or hear it within 30 feet of it must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is rebuked for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. A rebuked creature must spend its turns cowering in awe. It is incapacitated and can’t move. The rebuked automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws. Attack rolls against the creature have advantage. > > **Command Undead.** The demon targets one undead creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target must obey its commands for the next 24 hours, or until it uses this Order Undead option again. ___ > ## Blood Fiend >*Large undead (demon), chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 19 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 179 (21d10 + 63) > - **Speed** 40 ft., fly 80 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|22 (+6)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|17 (+3)|15 (+2)|18 (+4)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Dex +8, Con +8, Wis +7, Cha +9 > - **Damage Resistances** cold, fire, lightning, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** poisoned > - **Senses** truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft. > - **Challenge** 14 (11,500 XP) > ___ > > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The blood fiend has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Regeneration.*** The blood fiend regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. > > ### Actions > > ***Multiattack.*** The blood fiend makes 4 claw attacks and a bite attack. If two or more claws hit the same target, the fiend rends the target, dealing an extra 2d6 slashing damage. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage. Instead of dealing damage, the blood fiend can grapple the target (escape DC 19). > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by the blood fiend, incapacitated, or restrained. *Hit:* 13 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the blood fiend regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A fiend slain in this way rises as a free-willed blood fiend 24 horus later. > > ***Dominate (Recharge 6).*** The blood fiend forces one target within 30 feet that can see its eyes to make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it is dominated, as if by *dominate monster*. On a success, it can't dominate the target for 24 hours. ### Demon, Artaaglith These demons are created by Orcus to spread undeath. ### Demon, Blood Fiend A blood fiend is the demonic equivalent of a vampire. \page
___ > ## Desiccator >*Small undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 27 (6d6 + 6) > - **Speed** 20 ft., swim 60 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|12 (+1)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|8 (-1)|11 (+0)|13 (+1)| >___ > - **Skills** Perception +2 > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** Aquan > - **Challenge** 2 (450 XP) > ___ > > > ### Actions > ***Fatiguing Touch.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 10 (2d6 + 3) necrotic damage and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. If the creature fails this save, the desiccator regains 5 hit points. Creatures made mostly of water have disadvantage on this saving throw. The desiccator cannot advance a creature's exhaustion level past 3. > > ***Desiccating Breath (Recharge 5-6).*** The desiccator exhales parched air in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC l1 Constitution saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) necrotic damage and gaining a level of exhaustion on a failed save, or half as much damage and no additional exhaustion on a successful one. Creatures made mostly of water have disadvantage on this saving throw. The desiccator cannot advance a creature's exhaustion level past 3. ### Desiccator A dessicator is an undead water elemental that is tormented by perpetual thirst. It constantly seeks to quench its thirst with the blood and other vital fluids of the living. \page
___ ___ > ## Dragotha >*Gargantuan undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 24 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 574 (28d20 + 280) > - **Speed** 40 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 80 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|30 (+10)|15 (+2)|30 (+10)|26 (+8)|24 (+7)|28 (+9)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Dex +10, Con +18, Wis +15, Cha +17 > - **Skills** Arcana +24, Deception +25, History +24, Insight +23, Intimidation +25, Investigation +24, Perception +23, Persuasion +25, Stealth +10 > - **Damage Immunities** fire, necrotic, poison > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, lighting, thunder > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** blindsight 60 ft., truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 33 > - **Languages** Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Halfling, Giant, Gnomish, Goblin, Ignan, Infernal, Orc, Undercommon > - **Challenge** 27 (105,000 XP) > ___ > ***Legendary Resistance (3/Day).*** If Dragotha fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** Dragotha’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 25, +17 to hit with spell attacks). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > 3/day: *Abi Dalzim's horrid wilting, counterspell* (6th-level)*, dispel magic* (6th-level)*, feeblemind, forcecage* > > 1/day: *avascular mass, bodak's glare, blackfire, devastate undead, plane shift, panacea, wave of pain* > > ***Magic Resistance.*** Dragotha has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Healing Anathema.*** Any healing on a target within 30 feet of Dragotha functions only if he allows it. > > ***Necrotic Absorption.*** Whenever Dragotha is subjected to necrotic damage, he instead regains a number of hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt. His maximum HP and ability scores can't be reduced. > > ***Magic Claws.*** Dragotha’s weapon attacks are magical. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** Dragotha can use his Exhausting Presence. He then makes three attacks: one with his bite and two with his claws. > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +18 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. *Hit:* 21 (2d10 + 10) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) fire damage. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +18 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. *Hit:* 17 (2d6 + 10) slashing damage. > > ***Tail.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +18 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. *Hit:* 19 (2d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage. > > ***Exhausting Presence.*** Each creature of Dragotha’s choice that is within 120 feet of him must succeed on a DC 25 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion that lasts for 1 minute. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to Dragotha's Exhausting Presence for the next 24 hours. > > ***Fire Breath (Recharge 5-6).*** Dragotha exhales fire in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 26 Dexterity saving throw, taking 91 (26d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Additionally, a creature hit by the breath must succeed at a DC 26 Strength saving throw or become restrained until the start of Dragotha's next turn, as lingering tendrils of fire bind the creature. The area of his breath is difficult terrain for the same duration. > > ***Death Wind (1/day).*** Dragotha exhales absolute doom in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 26 Constitution saving throw, taking 91 (26d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Undead within the breath's area instead gain 26d6 temporary hit points. The wind also counts as strong wind for the purposes of dispelling fog. Finally, a creature slain by this damage rises as an incorporeal undead of Dragotha's choice. > > Using this ability expends Fire Breath as well, requiring Dragotha to roll to regain Fire Breath as if he'd used it. > > ### Legendary Actions > > Dragotha can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Dragotha regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn. > > ***Detect.*** Dragotha makes a Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check. > > ***Tail Attack.*** Dragotha makes a tail attack. > > ***Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions).*** Dragotha beats his wings. Each creature within 15 ft. of him must succeed on a DC 26 Dexterity saving throw or take 17 (2d6 + 10) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. Dragotha can then fly up to half his flying speed. ### Dragotha One of the mightiest dracoliches in the world, Dragotha is Kyuss's favorite servant. He keeps a horde of zombies around him at all times, and if severely injured casts *devastate undead* to protect himself. He likes to tear into his foes with tooth and claw when he can. He fires off *feebleminds* at clerics and druids, *blackfire* at wizards and sorcerers, and reserves his reactions for *counterspell* instead of attacks of opportunity. But he loves to get his claws dirty, and engages in melee if he can. \page
___ > ## Dread >*Small undead, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 22 (5d6 + 5) > - **Speed** 5ft., fly 40 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|14 (+2)|18 (+4)|12 (+1)|3 (-4)|10 (+0)|12 (+1)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Con +3, Wis +2 > - **Damage Immunities** cold, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, prone > - **Senses** blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 19 > - **Languages** understands all languages it knew in life but can't speak > - **Challenge** 1 (200 XP) > ___ > > ***Reflective Fear.*** If the dread is affected by an ability that could make it frightened, the effect is reflected back at the caster or creator, with the same DC. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The dread can use its Frightful Presence. It then attacks once. > > ***Greatsword.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 9 (2d6 + 2) slashing damage. > > ***Claws.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 6 (1d4 + 4) slashing damage. > > ***Frightful Presence.*** Each creature of the dread's choice that is within 30 feet of the dread and aware of it must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A target that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the Frightful Presence of all dreads for the next 24 hours. ### Dread A dread is a pair of animated skeletal arms created for use as an undead guardian. Like a skeleton, it is a mindless automaton that obeys the commands of its master, but it also carries an aura of supernatural terror. Each of a dread’s arms is 2 to 4 feet long and weighs 10 to 40 pounds. Dreads do only what they are ordered to do, but they can accept reasonably complex commands based on observable characteristics such as race, equipment, spoken passwords, or specific actions. For example, a dread might be ordered to attack all intruders except elves and creatures displaying a certain token. \page
___ ___ > ## Dream Vestige >*Huge undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 18 > - **Hit Points** 294 (30d12 + 120) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|1 (-5)|16 (+3)|18 (+4)|18 (+4)|18 (+4)|20 (+5)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Constitution +9, Wisdom +9 > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 14 > - **Languages** all languages its victims knew > - **Challenge** 16 (15,000 XP) > ___ > ***Dream Shield.*** The dream vestige adds its Charisma to AC (included). > > ***Descrated Aura.*** The dream vestige projects an aura of descrated terrain out to 20 feet. > > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The dream vestige can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ***Split.*** If the dream vestige ever has as much temporay HP as regular, it becomes two vestiges at its current HP. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The dream vestige can use its Frightful Presence and Absorb. It then makes four tendril attacks. > > ***Tendril.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +10 to hit, reach 20ft., one target. *Hit* 15 (3d6 + 5) psychic damage and the target’s Intelligence score is reduced by 1d4. If this reduces its Intelligence to 0, it is stunned until it regains at least one point of Intelligence. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target receives a *greater restoration* spell or similar magic. > > The dream vestige gains 5 temporary hit points per point of Intelligence it drains. These temporary hit points stack with themselves, but do not stack with those from any other source. > > ***Absorb.*** The dream vestige kills any number of creatures within 20 feet with 0 Intelligence, totally subsuming them. > >***Frightful Presence.*** Each creature of the dream vestige's choice that is within 30 feet of the dream vestige and aware of it must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A target that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the dream vestige's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours. ### Dream Vestige The first dream vestige was created by Orcus. Since then, the creature has duplicated itself many times. Vestiges even prey upon other undead, seeking to consume all they can. \page
___ > ## Drowned >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 200 (21d8 + 105) > - **Speed** 30 ft., swim 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|19 (+4)|11 (+0)|20 (+5)|10 (+0)|10 (+0)|12 (+1)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** Common, Abyssal > - **Challenge** 8 (6305 XP) > ___ > ***Drowning Aura.*** Any creature that comes within 30 feet of a drowned has its lungs or other respiratory organs fill with water. It then has the normal amount of time to survive. The water can be removed by a DC 20 Constitution saving throw as an action by the afflicted creature, or a DC 20 Wisdom (Medicine) check as an action by a creature within 5 feet. > > This ability has no effect on creatures that don't breathe or those that breathe water, whether innately or through magic. > > ***Regeneration.*** The drowned regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. > > ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces the drowned to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the drowned drops to 1 hit point instead. > > ### Actions > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 10 (1d12 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. ### Drowned The drowned lost their lives in the watery deep. The evidence of their gasping death always saturates their clothing and flesh, and fills the air around them. Many drowned came to their current circumstances when their ships went down at sea with all hands. Others, more ancient, first arose when their island homes sank beneath the waves ages ago, drowning all. ### Dust Wight Dust wights are hateful creatures formed by a conjunction of elemental earth and negative energy. They seek to tear down and destroy all creations of stone and metal, and if they have to kill living creatures to do that, so much the better. ___ > ## Dust Wight >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 120 (16d8 + 48) > - **Speed** 20 ft., burrow 20 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|18 (+4)|8 (-1)|16 (+3)|8 (-1)|11 (+0)|11 (+0)| >___ > - **Saves** Str +7, Wis +3 > - **Skills** Perception +3, Stealth +2 > - **Damage Resistances** necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** thunder > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 > - **Languages** Terran > - **Challenge** 6 (2,300 XP) > ___ > > ***Earth Glide.*** The wight can burrow through nonmagical, unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the wight doesn’t disturb the material it moves through. > > ***Petrifying Cloud.*** When a creature starts its turn within 5 ft. of the wight, it must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly petrified. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save begins to turn to stone and is restrained. The restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn, becoming petrified on a failure or ending the effect on a success. The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by the *greater restoration* spell or other magic. > > ### Actions > > ***Multiattack.*** The dust wight makes two crumbling slam attacks. > > ***Crumbling Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 12 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is an object or structure, or a creature mostly made of rock or metal (such as an iron golem or petrified creature), this attack does double damage and is magical. Additionally, if the target is wearing nonmagical armor or a shield made of metal or stone, one of those takes a permanent and cumulative -2 penalty to the AC it offers. Armor reduced to an AC of 10 or a shield that drops to a +0 bonus is destroyed. \page
___ ___ > ## Earthcancer Centipede >*Gargantuan undead (wormspawn), chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 245 (14d20 + 98) > - **Speed** 60 ft., burrow 60 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|28 (+9)|18 (+4)|24 (+7)|3 (-4)|14 (+2)|3 (-4)| >___ > - **Saves** Str +14, Con +12, Wis +7 > - **Skills** Perception +12, Stealth +9, Survival +7 > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 120 ft., passive Perception 22 > - **Languages** — > - **Challenge** 14 (11,500 XP) > ___ > ***Alacrity.*** The earthcancer centipede has advantage on Dexterity saving throws, ignores difficult terrain, and has advantage on saving throws against being knocked prone. It also gains an additional action on each of its turns. That action can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action. > > ***Earthcancer Aura.*** The earthcancer centipede is surrounded by an aura of supernatural energy that invades and corrupts nearby earth and stone. Leprous growths of rancid fungi and aberrant rock formations writhe out of any stony or earthen surface within 60 feet of an earthcancer centipede. This condition weakens and damages structures. It also counts as difficult terrain to move through for all non-wormspawn creatures. > >Additionally, contact with the tainted earth and stone nauseates living creatures. Any creature who touches this tainted earth or stone for the first time on a turn (including those who walk upon it) must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. If it fails this save by 5 or more, it is incapacitated while poisoned in this way. > > Creatures predominately made of earth (such as earth elementals) that start their turns within 60 feet of an earthcancer centipede or enter that radius for the first time on a turn must also make a DC 14 Fortitude save or take 33 (6d10) necrotic damage, or half on a successful save. > > > ***Obey the Wormtouched.*** Although it is nearly mindless, an earthcancer centipede unerringly understands and follows commands given by other undead servants of Kyuss. > > ***Regeneration.*** The earthcancer centipede regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. > > ***Siege Monster.*** The earthcancer centipede deals double damage to objects and structures. > > ***Tunneler.*** The earthcancer centipede can burrow through solid rock at half its burrowing speed and leaves a 20-foot-wide tunnel in its wake. > ### Actions > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. *Hit:* 31 (4d10 + 9) piercing damage and if the target is a creature it must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6) poison damage. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned until cured, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way. > > ### Earthcancer Centipede Earthcancer centipedes are the result of Kyuss’ attempt to generate undead useful in sieges. An earthcancer centipede is thirty-five feet long and weighs 18 tons. > ##### Centurypede > >Centurypedes are the creatures that Kyuss creates earthcancer centipedes from. They do not have the Earthcancer Aura nor Obey the Wormtouched. They are beasts instead of undead, unaligned, lack the wormspawned tag, have a 1 (-5) in Intelligence and Charisma, and lose the earthcancer's damage and condition immunities. \page
___ > ## Elhoriad >*Medium undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 60 (8d8 + 24) > - **Speed** 30 ft., climb 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|17 (+3)|18 (+4)|16 (+3)|11 (+0)|10 (+0)|12 (+1)| >___ > - **Saves** Wis +2 > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** bludgeoning > - **Damage Immunities** cold, necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 3 (700 XP) > ___ > > ***Entropic Reflection.*** Whenever the elhoriad would take necrotic damage, it is instead reflected back at the damage's source. > > ***Magic Weapons.*** The elhoriad's weapon attacks are magical. > > ***Tharizdun's Blessing.*** The elhoriad has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened, as well as against being turned or rebuked. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The elhoriad makes two attacks. If two claws hit the same target, the elhoriad rends the target, dealing an extra 5 (2d4) slashing damage. > > ***Entropic Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 6 (1d4 + 4) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution save or have its Strength and Constitution scores reduced by 1d4 (roll separately). The target dies if this reduces its Constitution to 0, and is paralyzed if this reduces its Strength to 0 until it regains at least 1 point of Strength. Otherwise, the reductions last until the target receives a *greater restoration* spell or similar magic. > > ***Nightforged Longsword.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) if used with both hands. A creature who dies with unhealed wounds from this weapon cannot be brought back from the dead by any means short of *true resurrection* or *wish*. > > ***Longbow.*** *Ranged Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. *Hit:* 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage. ___ > ## Entomber >*Medium undead, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 90 (12d8+36) > - **Speed** 30 ft., burrow 10 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|21 (+5)|10 (0)|17 (+3)|4 (-3)|14 (+2)|15 (+2)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren't silvered > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak > - **Challenge** 5 (1,800 XP) > ___ > ***Turn Resistance.*** The entomber has advantage against all abilities that turn undead. > ### Actions > ***Entombing Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 10 (1d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity save or be pounded into a shallow grave. The location of the entombed creature is visible to other creatures. It takes two actions to excavate the creature, or one if using a shovel, which is considered to be grappled by the ground (escape DC 20) and restrained by the ground while grappled in this way. If the creature is not excavated, it may run out of air (adjudicated by the DM) > > ***Exhume.*** As an action, an entomber touches a place where a creature is buried no deeper than 10 feet. The body immediately rises to the surface, leaving no hole or tunnel. A body is not harmed when brought to the surface in this manner. ### Elhoriad The cult of Tharizdun created the elhoriads to act as guardians. The cult researched the various methods of undead creation for several years and even went so far as to recruit accomplished necromancers into their ranks to unlock the secrets that would allow them to manipulate the various forms of undead. Cultists produced elhoriads by taking the base skeleton and infusing them with the very power of entropy channeled from unearthed remnants of Tharizdun's once-mighty artifacts. This grants these creatures their above average intelligence and their deadly entropic touch ability, as well as their nightforged swords. ### Entomber Beloved by necromancers, entombers specialize in bringing corpses out of the ground—or pounding them back in. \page
___ > ## Ephemeral Swarm >*Large swarm of Tiny undead, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 > - **Hit Points** 68 (9d10 + 18) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|1 (-5)|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|2 (-4)|10 (+0)|15 (+2)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** — > - **Challenge** 4 (1,100 XP) > ___ > ***Ephemeral.*** The ephemeral swarm can’t wear or carry anything. > > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The swarm can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ***Turn Vulnerability.*** Because the swarm is a collective of weak undead, the swarm has disadvantage on saving throws against any effect that turns or rebukes undead. > > ***Swarm.*** The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny rat. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. > > ***Evasion.*** If the swarm is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the swarm instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. > ### Actions > ***Necrotic Bites.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm’s space. Hit: 18 (4d8) necrotic damage, or 9 (2d8) necrotic damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. ### Ephemeral Swarm These swarms are the result of hundreds of little creatures that died together. \page
___ ___ > ## Euralden Eye >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 117 (18d6 + 54) > - **Speed** 40 ft., climb 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|10 (+0)|15 (+2)|16 (+3)|19 (+4)|13 (+1)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Skills** Arcana +10, Perception +4, Stealth +8 > - **Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Damage Immunities** cold, psychic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak, telepathy 120 ft. > - **Challenge** 7 (2,900 XP) > ___ > > ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces the eye to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the eye drops to 1 hit point instead. > > ***Innate Spellcasting (Psionics).*** The euralden eye’s innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components: > > At will: *detect magic, faerie fire, light, no light* > > ***Spider Climb.*** The eye can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. > > ### Actions > > ***Multiatattack.*** The eye makes two claw attacks and a bite attack. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage. > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage plus 6 (1d12) psychic damage. > > ***Energy Stun.*** The eye chooses a point within 30 feet of it. Each creature within 5 feet of this point must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the creature takes 14 (4d6) acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage (eye's choice when taking this action), or half on a success. > > Additionally, any creature affected by this ability must make a DC 15 Intelligence saving throws or be stunned until the start of the eye's next turn. > > ***Recall Agony.*** The eye bends the fabric of time, forcing a creature within 120 feet of it to make a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw. The creature takes 39 (6d12) psychic damage on a failure, or half on a success. After a failed save, the creature has muddled thoughts for 1 minute. During that time, it rolls a d6 and subtracts the number rolled from all its attack rolls and ability checks, as well as its Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration. The target can make an Intelligence saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success > > ***Calcifying Cone.*** The eye's gaze creates a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a target begins to turn to stone and is restrained. The restrained target must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends on the target. On a failure, the target is petrified until freed by the *greater restoration* spell or other magic. > > While petrified in this way, the creature animates as a stone version of itself (use the stats described for the creatures made by *animate objects* for its size). The construct is under the eye's control. > > ### Reactions > > ***Catfall.*** When the euralden eye falls, it can take this reaction. The euralden eye takes no damage from falling and does not land prone. It also has advantage on Dexterity saves until the end of its next turn. ### Euralden Eye The [euralden eye](http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psb/20070518a) is a potent psionic undead. \page
___ > ## Eye of Fear and Flame >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 127 (17d8 + 51) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|17 (+3)|14 (+2)|16 (+3)|18 (+4)|17 (+3)|19 (+4)| >___ > - **Skills** Stealth +5, Intimidation +10 > - **Saves** Con +6, Wis +6 > - **Damage Resistances** piercing, slashing > - **Damage Immunities** cold, fire, necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** blinded, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 14 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 7 (2,900 XP) > ___ > ***Eye of Fear.*** As a bonus action, the eye of fear and flame can cast *fear* (DC 15), no concentration required. It can still use Eye of Flame on this turn. > > ***Turn Resistance.*** The eye of fear and flame has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. > > ***Madness.*** The eye of fear and flame has advantage on saving throws against being charmed. > > ***Blindness Reflection.*** When targeted by a spell or effect that could cause blindness, the spell is automatically reflected back at its caster, who must make a save against their own ability. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The eye’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15). The eye can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > >At will: *detect magic, detect thoughts* > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The eye of fear and flame makes two claw attacks. > > ***Eye of Flame (Recharge 5 or 6).*** The eye of fear and flame casts *fireball* as a 5th-level spell (DC 15). This fireball deals vile damage. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage. > > ***Etherealness.*** The eye of fear and flame enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. It can't affect or be affected by anything on the other plane. ### Eye of Fear and Flame Eyes of fear and flame roam about underground and in dark forests, forcing good people to do evil things. ___ > ## Famine Spirit >*Large undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 9 > - **Hit Points** 609 (42d10 + 379) > - **Speed** 60 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|16 (+3)|8 (-1)|28 (+9)|14 (+2)|15 (+2)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 19 (22,000 XP) > ___ > ***Regeneration.*** The famine spirit regains 50 hit points at the start of its turn. If the famine spirit takes radiant damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the famine spirit's next turn. The famine spirit dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate. > > ***Aura of Pain.*** As a bonus action, the famine spirit causes all creatures of its choice within 60 feet to suffer crippling pain. Affected creatures must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature is incapacitated with excruciating pain for 1 minute. Success indicates the creature is immune to this famine spirit's aura of pain for the next minute, after which it must save again. Constructs ignore this effect. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The famine spirit has advantage on saves against spells and other magical effects. > ### Actions > ***Vorpal Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* The target takes 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage. On a critical hit, the famine spirit bites the target's head off. This attack scores a critical hit on rolls of 19 or 20. If the creature doesn't have or need a head, it instead takes an extra 6d8 slashing damage. > > ***Etherealness.*** The famine spirit enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. It is visible on the Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can't affect or be affected by anything on the other plane. ### Famine Spirit A famine spirit eats everything and anything that a living being could, but its hunger is never sated. They ignore the living unless the living get in the way of their feasts, but a single famine spirit can eat more than a hundred men do. \page
___ ___ > ## Fleshless Reaper >*Large undead, same alignment as its creator (usually neutral evil)* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 19 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 102 (12d10 + 36) > - **Speed** 50 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|14 (+2)|20 (+5)|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|10 (+0)|3 (-4)| >___ > - **Saves** Dex +9, Con +7, Wis +4 > - **Skills** Investigation +6, Perception +4, Stealth +9, Survival +4 > - **Damage Resistances** cold, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 10 (5,900 XP) > ___ > > ***Assassinate.*** During its first turn, the reaper has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit the reaper scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit. > >***Avoidance.*** If the reaper is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. > > ***Caged Soul.*** The ritual that creates a fleshless reaper also creates a soul cage keyed to that reaper. Anyone possessing the soul cage can use the fleshless reaper’s senses and give it orders telepathically as long as both are on the same plane. A fleshless reaper cannot disobey any order given to it by any individual in possession of the soul cage. If a fleshless reaper’s soul cage is destroyed (the cage has hardness 8 and 30 hit points, and counts as a Tiny object) it may attempt to revert to the original alignment of the humanoid soul within by succeeding on a Wisdom saving throw against its creator's spell save DC. Otherwise it retains the alignment of its creator. > > ***Shadow Action.*** While in dim light or darkness, the reaper can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. > > ***Sneak Attack (1/Turn).*** The reaper deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 ft. of an ally of the reaper that isn’t incapacitated and the reaper doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. > > ***Innate Spellcasting (Psionics).*** The reaper's spellcasting ability is Intelligence. The reaper can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components: > > At will: *darkness, pass without trace* (self only)*, silence* > > 1/day: *dimension door* > > ### Actions > > ***Multiattack.*** The reaper uses its Chilling Gaze. It then makes two claw attacks or one soul scythe attack. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* The target takes 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage. Instead of dealing damage, the reaper can grapple the target (escape DC 16). > > ***Soul Scythe.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* The target takes 14 (2d8 + 5) necrotic damage. On a critical hit, the reaper rolls four times as many dice instead of two. > >The soul of a creature killed by this attack is sucked into one of the obsidian shards set in the fleshless reaper, and cannot be released without destroying the fleshless reaper unless they possess its soul cage. If a fleshless reaper or its soul cage is destroyed, all souls trapped within the reaper are released. A fleshless reaper without a soul cage cannot trap souls. A fleshless reaper can hold up to 15 souls at a time, and cannot trap more if it is already storing 15 souls. > > ***Chilling Gaze.*** The reaper targets one creature within 30 feet it can see. The creature must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it is paralyzed until the start of the reaper's next turn. Even on a success, the target's speed is halved until the start of the reaper's next turn. ### Fleshless Reaper A foul undead stalker created by paranoid necromancers, the fleshless reaper has the intelligence to further its master’s plans without the free will to interfere. Created from humanoid bones stewed in blood and assembled with psionically charged obsidian and crystal, the intellect of a reaper comes from a humanoid soul bound to the macabre frame; what little remains of his or her personality is then twisted to resemble that of its new master. Only once the soul cage to which it is bound is smashed can these unfortunates find peace, though the vast majority find themselves sold to whoever will pay for such a loyal, if macabre, servant. Fleshless reapers usually try to avoid direct combat, instead picking on individuals when their guard is down, and will use their spell-like abilities to escape if pressed. They are at their greatest advantage when stalking prey in cluttered or enclosed environments where cover is easy to find, assassinating targets one at a time and returning the souls collected to their masters—often to serve as the animating force behind yet more fleshless reapers. Reapers likes to cast *darkness* on their scythes, thus enabling them to take full advantage of their blindsight and Shadow Action. When not expecting battle, they always have Pass Without Trace active. Virtually all are created against their will, but a very few willingly choose to become one. \page
___ > ## Forsaken Shell >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 45 (6d8 + 18) > - **Speed** 30 ft., burrow 15 ft., swim 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|21 (+5)|17 (+3)|16 (+3)|11 (+0)|10 (+0)|10 (+0)| >___ > - **Skills** Stealth +9 > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, prone > - **Senses** blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak > - **Challenge** 6 (2,900 XP) > ___ > > ***Amorphous.*** The shell can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. > > ***Damage Transfer.*** While grappling a creature, the shell takes only half the damage dealt to it (rounded down), and that creature takes the other half. > > > ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces the shell to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the shell drops to 1 hit point instead. > > ### Actions > > ***Multiattack.*** The forsaken shell makes a skin slap attack and a constrict attack. > > ***Skin Slap.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. *Hit:* 7 (1d4 + 5) bludgeoning damage and the target must make a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. > > ***Constrict.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, blinded, and at risk of suffocating, and the shell can't constrict another target. > > A creature killed by this ability rises as a forsaken shell at initiative count 20 in 1d4 rounds. ### Forsaken Shell Forsaken shells are what they appear to be—the empty skins of past victims, purged of their bloody and visceral former contents. The loose skins possess an amazing strength and elasticity, driven by necromantic élan and a predatory nature that cannot be denied. \page
___ ___ > ## Ghostly Visage >*Tiny undead, same alignment as its host (chaotic evil when hostless)* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 18 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 7 (2d4 + 2) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 10 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|1 (-5)|20 (+5)|12 (+1)|12 (+1)|9 (-1)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 1 (450 XP) > ___ > ***Ephemeral.*** The visage can’t wear or carry anything. > > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The visage can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ***Gaze of Terror.*** When a creature that can see the ghostly visage's manifested face starts its turn within 30 feet of the visage, the visage can force it to make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw if the visage isn’t incapacitated and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is frightened of the visage and paralyzed while frightened in this way. Otherwise, a creature is frightened of the visage on a failed save. In either case, the creature can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. A target that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the Gaze of Terror of all ghostly visages for the next 24 hours. > > Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it has disadvantage on attack rolls against the visage and its host until the start of its next turn. If the creature looks at the visage or its host in the meantime, it must immediately make the saving throw. > > ***Manifest.*** While melded, the ghostly visage can superimpose a horrific face over the creature it is melded with as a bonus action. The face lasts until the start of the visage's next turn. The visage must be manifesting to use its Gaze of Terror ability. While manifested, the visage can be targeted with attacks and harmful spells. If an attack misses the visage but rolled high enough to hit the creature it's melded with, the attack hits the host creature. > ### Actions > ***Meld.*** As an action, the ghostly visage fuses with a corporeal creature it touches. An unwilling creature can make a DC 13 Charisma save, negating the effect on a success. Upon successfully melding, the ghostly visage vanishes into the corporeal creature's body, becoming untargetable and invulnerable unless it uses Manifest. ### Ghostly Visage A minor undead spirit, a ghostly visage cannot harm any creature by itself. However, it has a frightening gaze that can paralyze opponents. It is often found melded with a more powerful creature, who gives it a home and it can bestow its talents upon. \page
___ ___ > ## Black Ice Golem >*Huge construct, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 184 (16d12 + 80) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|24 (+7)|9 (-1)|20 (+5)|3 (-4)|10 (+0)|1 (-5)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** cold, necrotic, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** fire > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 9 > - **Languages** understands the languages of its creator but can't speak > - **Challenge** 14 (11,500 XP) > ___ > ***Cold Aura.*** At the start of each of the golem’s turns, each creature within 20 feet of it other than itself takes 7 (2d6) cold damage. A creature that touches the golem or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) cold damage. > > ***Uttercold Absorption.*** Whenever the golem is subjected to cold or necrotic damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the cold or necrotic damage dealt. > > ***Immutable Form.*** The golem is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The golem has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Siege Monster.*** The golem deals double damage to objects and structures. > > ***Uttercold Magic Weapons.*** The golem's weapon attacks are magical. When the golem hits with any weapon, the weapon deals an extra 2d6 cold damage and an extra 2d6 necrotic damage (included in the attack). > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The golem makes two slam attacks and uses Ice Shards if it's available. > > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. *Hit:* 17 (3d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) cold damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. > > ***Ice Shards (Recharge 5-6).*** Every creature within 10 feet of the black ice golem must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, it takes 7 (2d6) piercing damage, 7 (2d6) cold damage, 7 (2d6) necrotic damage, and is blinded until the end of the golem's next turn. On a success, it takes half damage and is not blinded. Any creature hit by this ability must also succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. ### Golem, Black Ice Black ice golems are made of blood-filled ice charged with negative energy. \page
___ > ## Bone Golem >*Large construct, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 123 (13d10 + 52) > - **Speed** 40 ft., climb 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|16 (+3)|20 (+5)|18 (+4)|3 (-4)|8 (-1)|1 (-5)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** bludgeoning > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 > - **Languages** understands the languages of its creator but can't speak > - **Challenge** 10 (5,900 XP) > ___ > ***Consume Skeleton.*** As a bonus action, the bone golem can destroy one animated **skeleton** within 5 feet of it. The bone golem then regains hit points or temporary hit points (its choice) equal to the skeleton's current hit points. > > ***Immutable Form.*** The golem is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The golem has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Magic Weapons.*** The golem's weapon attacks are magical. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The golem makes two claw attacks. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 18 (2d12 + 5) piercing damage. Instead of dealing damage, the golem can grapple the target (escape DC 17). Every time a creature tries to escape this grapple, it takes 10 (4d4) piercing damage regardless of the outcome. > > ***Dread Roar (Recharge 5-6).*** The golem roars magically. Every enemy within 300 feet of the golem that can hear it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A frightened target within 60 feet is paralyzed. A target that successfully saves is immune to the dread roar of all bone golems for the next 24 hours. ### Golem, Bone Bone golems are made up of once-animated bones, but they are constructs, not undead. ___ > ## Grave Dirt Golem >*Large construct, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 133 (14d10 + 56) > - **Speed** 20ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|20 (+5)|9 (-1)|18 (+4)|3 (-4)|8 (-1)|1 (-5)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 > - **Languages** understands the languages of its creator but can't speak > - **Challenge** 9 (5,000 XP) > ___ > ***Necrotic Absorption.*** Whenever the golem is subjected to necrotic damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt. > > ***Berserk.*** Whenever the golem starts its turn with 60 hit points or fewer, roll a d6. On a 6, the golem goes berserk. On each of its turns while berserk, the golem attacks the nearest creature it can see. If no creature is near enough to move to and attack, the golem attacks an object, with preference for an object smaller than itself. Once the golem goes berserk, it continues to do so until it is destroyed or regains all its hit points. > > ***Immutable Form.*** The golem is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The golem has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Magic Weapons.***The golem's weapon attacks are magical. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The golem makes two slam attacks. > > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 16 (2d10+5) bludgeoning damage and 7 (2d6) necrotic damage on the golem's next turn. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or have its hit point maximum reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. The target dies if this reduces its hit point maximum to 0. The reduction lasts until removed by the *greater restoration* spell or other magic. ### Golem, Grave Dirt Grave dirt golems are very unpleasant to fight, for their blows foul the flesh of those they hit. \page
___ ___ > ## Shadesteel Golem >*Medium construct, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 27 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 95 (10d8 + 50) > - **Speed** 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|12 (+1)|25 (+7)|20 (+5)|3 (-4)|10 (+0)|1 (-5)| >___ > - **Skills** Stealth +15 > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with adamantine weapons > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** understands the languages of its creator but can't speak > - **Challenge** 11 (7,200 XP) > ___ > > ***Avoidance.*** If the golem is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. > > ***Necrotic Absorption.*** Whenever the golem is subjected to necrotic damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt. > > ***Light Haste.*** If the golem takes radiant damage, it speeds up as if affected by the spell *haste* for 1 minute. The golem is also *hasted* whenever it is subject to a positive energy effect, such as the turning attempt of a cleric. This might happen if the cleric has mistakenly identified the creature as a nightwalker or other undead, or if the golem is standing near undead. > > ***Immutable Form.*** The golem is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The golem has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Magic Weapons.*** The golem's weapon attacks are magical. > > ***Shadow Blend.*** In any lighting other than true daylight, the golem can choose to be heavily obscured to all other creatures (no action required). > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The golem makes two fist attacks and uses Negative Pulse Wave if it can. > > ***Fist.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +11 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 20 (2d12 + 7) bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. Instead of dealing damage, the golem can grapple the target (escape DC 13). > > ***Negative Pulse Wave (Recharge 5-6).*** All creatures within 40 feet of the golem must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or take 35 (10d6) necrotic damage. On a successful save, they instead take half. Undead are healed instead of damaged. ### Golem, Shadesteel Shadesteel golems are constructs that closely resemble undead. Unlike clunking iron golems, shadesteel golems are precise and silent. Many golems are actually disguised as undead, to make adventurers try to turn them. > ##### Variant: Tombstone Golem > > To create a **tombstone golem**, start with the **stone golem**, increase the CR to 12, remove the Slow action, and add the trait below: > >***Slay Living (Recharge 5-6).*** When it hits a creature with a melee attack, the golem can force the creature to make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw against this magic. On a failed save, the target drops to 0 hit points. This has no effect on undead or constructs. \page
___ > ## Sickstone Golem >*Large construct, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 178 (17d10 + 85) > - **Speed** 30 ft., climb 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|22 (+6)|9 (-1)|20 (+5)|3 (-4)|11 (+0)|1 (-5)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** poison, psychic, radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with adamantine weapons > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** understands the languages of its creator but can't speak > - **Challenge** 10 (5,900 XP) > ___ > > ***Illumination.*** The golem magically sheds bright light in a 60-foot radius and dim light for an additional 60 feet. This light goes out when the golem is destroyed. Any creature within the golem's bright light can't regain hit points. > > ***Immutable Form.*** The golem is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The golem has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Magic Weapons.*** The golem's weapon attacks are magical. > > ***Radiant Absorption.*** Whenever the golem is subjected to radiant damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the lightning damage dealt. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The golem makes two slam attacks. > > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +10 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 20 (2d12 + 7) bludgeoning damage. > > ***Radiation Wave (Recharge 5-6).*** The golem targets one or more creatures it can see within 10 feet of it. Each target must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw against this magic. On a failed save, the creature is poisoned until the end of the golem's next turn, and its Constitution score is reduced by 1d6, reducing its max and current HP accordingly. This reduction lasts until removed by *greater restoration* or other magic. ### Golem, Sickstone Sickstone golems are made of a grotesque glowing material that drains the life of anything in contact. ___ > ## Gravecrawler >*Small undead, lawful neutral* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 21 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 52 (8d6 + 24) > - **Speed** 20 ft., burrow 20 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|10 (+0)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|11 (+0)|11 (+0)| >___ > - **Skills** History +9 > - **Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** Common, Terran, three local > - **Challenge** 5 (1,800 XP) > ___ > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The gravecrawler's spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14). The gravecrawler can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *earthbind, earth tremor, Maximilian's earthen grasp, mold earth, speak with dead* > > ***Earth Glide.*** The gravecrawler can burrow through nonmagical, unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the gravecrawler doesn’t disturb the material it moves through. > > ***Calcifying Aura.*** At the start of each of the gravecrawler’s turns, every non-gravecrawler creature made of flesh within 30 feet has its Constitution score is reduced by 1. A creature whose Constitution is reduced to 0 is petrified until it regains at least one point of Constitution. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest. > > ### Actions > ***Calcifying Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 8 (2d4 + 3) piercing damage and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be affected as if by a *slow* spell. If the gravecrawler hits the target again while the target is *slowed*, the target must make another DC 14 Constitution saving throw, suffering the effects of a *flesh to stone* spell on a failure. Neither of these effects require concentration. ### Gravecrawler A small sluglike undead, the gravecrawler is a guardian spirit of graveyards. It is despised by necromancers, for its presence in a graveyard gradually petrifies the corpses. Although gravecrawlers are most certainly undead, it's unclear what they were in life. It's possible they represent a collective will and guardian of the graveyard's inhabitants. \page
___ > ## Gravehound >*Large undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 75 (10d10 + 20) > - **Speed** 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|18 (+4)|13 (+1)|14 (+2)|7 (-2)|12 (+1)|8 (-1)| >___ > - **Skills** Perception +5 > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 > - **Languages** Common, Giant, Winter Wolf > - **Challenge** 3 (700 XP) > ___ > ***Keen Hearing and Smell.*** The gravehound has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell. > > ***Pack Tactics.*** The gravehound has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the gravehound’s allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. > > ### Actions > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn. ### Gravehound The reanimated remains of winter wolves, these creatures gain a fearsome stunning bite. ### Graveyard Sludge Graveyard sludges result from the defilement of corpses. They bridge the gap between the living and the dead, and ___ > ## Graveyard Sludge >*Large ooze, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 11 > - **Hit Points** 72 (8d10 + 32) > - **Speed** 30 ft., climb 30 feet >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|19 (+4)|1 (-5)|6 (-2)|1 (-5)| >___ > - **Condition Immunities** blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, prone > - **Damage Immunities** acid, cold, necrotic, radiant > - **Senses** blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 8 > - **Languages** — > - **Challenge** 4 (1,100 XP) > ___ > ***Amorphous.*** The sludge can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. > > ***Between Worlds.*** Whenever the graveyard sludge is subjected to necrotic or radiant damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the necrotic or radiant damage dealt. > > ***Spider Climb.*** The pudding can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. > > ### Actions > ***Pseudopod.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 18 (4d8) acid damage. > > ***Oozespawn Zombies.*** The graveyard sludge targets any number of humanoids within 20 feet of it who died in the last minute. All affected humanoids rise as **ooze zombies** (see the Variant Abilities section above) under the graveyard sludge's control. > > ***Spirit Resurgence.*** The graveyard ooze releases its latent spirit energy. All creatures within 5 feet must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be affected as if by a *fear* spell. > > ***Vigor of the Dead.*** The graveyard ooze touches one undead creature within 5 feet. Until the start of the ooze's next turn, that creature has advantage on saving throws, resistance against piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren't silvered, and its necromancy spells are cast as if one level higher. \page
___ ___ > ## Grimweird >*Medium undead, lawful evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 60 (24d8 - 48) > - **Speed** 20 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|4 (-3)|13 (+1)|6 (-2)|18 (+4)|17 (+3)|20 (+5)| >___ > - **Skills** Arcana +12, Deception +9, Investigation +8, Intimidation +9, Persuasion +9, Religion +8 > - **Saving Throws** Constitution +2, Intelligence +8, Wisdom +7, Charisma +9 > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, paralyzed, poison > - **Senses** darvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 10 (5,900 XP) > ___ > ***Grimweird Cunning.*** The grimweird has advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws. > > ***Mage Sight.*** The grimweird can determine all spell effects upon creatures within 60 feet it can see unerringly. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The grimweird can innately cast *conjure undead* as a 9th-level spell at will, requiring no material components. > > ### Actions > ***Multicast.*** The grimweird can use Benign Transposition, Reave Magic, Summon Undead Minions, and/or Summon Undead if they are available. > > ***Benign Transposition (Recharge 5, 6).*** The grimweird chooses a space within 30 feet that is occupied by a willing creature and swaps places with that creature. > > ***Reave Magic (Recharge 6).*** The grimweird dispels all spells of 3rd level or lower on one target within 30 feet. For each spell of 4th level or higher, it makes a Charisma check against a DC of 10 + the spell's level. On a success, it dispels that spell. It can choose to steal any or all spells dispelled with this ability for itself. > > ***Summon Undead (Recharge 6).*** The grimweird summons one undead creature of CR 6 or lower within 90 feet. The creature is friendly to the grimweird and follows its orders. It stays for 1 minute or until it drops to 0 hit points, at which time it disappears. > > ***Summon Undead Minions (Recharge 4, 5, 6).*** The grimweird summons undead as if by the *summon undead minions* spell, no concentration required. These undead last for 1 minute or until they drop to 0 hit points, at which time they disappear. > > ***Life Drain.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 19 (4d8 + 1) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. > > ### Reactions > > ***Duck Behind.*** When the grimweird would take damage, it can cause one willing creature within 5 feet of it to take the damage instead. ### Grimweird Grimweirds are humanoids who have bonded body and soul with the Negative Energy Plane, and can call undead out of it inherently. They try to have a hulking corpse summoned at all times. \page
___ ___ > ## Taunting Haunt >*Medium undead, chaotic neutral* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 > - **Hit Points** 67 (9d8 + 27) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|6 (-2)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|13 (+1)|11 (+0)|18 (+4)| >___ > - **Skills** Acrobatics +7, Arcana +5, Deception +8, History +5, Intimidation +8, Nature +5, Perception +2, Performance +8, Religion +5, Sleight of Hand +7 > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 4 (1,100 XP) > ___ > ***Encore.*** If it dies, the taunting haunt returns to life in 24 hours and regains all its hit points. Not even a *wish* spell or the direct intervention of a deity can prevent this trait from functioning. These creatures can be driven away only when defeated in a battle of wits or put to rest only when their final wishes are met. > > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The haunt can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The haunt’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14). The haunt can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *create equipment, dancing lights, douse, friends, hex, minor illusion, prestidigitation* > > 3/day: *charming lie, grease, invisibility* (self only)*, Tasha's hideous laughter* > > 1/day: *fear, glibness, major image, Nystul's magic aura* > > ### Actions > > ***Stupefy (Recharge 5-6).*** One creature within 30 feet of the haunt must make a DC 14 Intelligence save. On a failure, it is incapacitated until the start of the haunt's next turn, and its speed is 0 for the same duration. It also has disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma checks for 1 minute. > > ### Reactions > > ***Tripping Tongue (3/day).*** A taunting haunt can force an opponent to speak the opposite of an intended statement as a reaction. An entreaty for peace becomes a challenge to battle. A friendly greeting becomes an insulting threat. If that foe succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom save, this ability has no effect. Anyone listening to a creature affected by this ability can make a DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check to notice that the affected creature has been compelled to speak unintended words. > > ***Vicious Lampoon.*** When an opponent within 30 feet misses with an attack, a taunting haunt can, deliver a short, scathing commentary on that foe’s competence (or lack thereof). The subject must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom save or take disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws until the end of its next turn. ### Haunt, Taunting Haunts are spirits that left unfinished business in life and have returned to seek recompense. Victims of injustice, haunts have no qualms about causing others to suffer as they did. A haunt can’t be permanently defeated by normal means, instead, someone must right the wrongs that led to its grim state. A taunting haunt is the twisted, jealous spirit of a deceased bard, jester, or other performer. Bitter and angry, and resentful of the living, a taunting haunt uses its sharp wit, cruel humor, and spiteful performances to create havoc and chaos wherever it goes. Taunting haunts pose a minimal physical threat, yet they are dreaded by almost anyone unfortunate enough to encounter them. With their biting sense of humor and relentless spirit, they can prove more difficult to handle than foes in a stand-up f ght. \page
___ > ## Hopping Vampire >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 68 (9d8 + 27) > - **Speed** 20ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|17 (+3)|4 (-3)|16 (+3)|7 (-3)|9 (-1)|12 (+1)| >___ > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from jade weapons > - **Damage Resistances** cold, lightning > - **Damage Immunities** poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren't made of jade > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 > - **Languages** understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak > - **Challenge** 5 (1,800 XP) > ___ > ***Breath Sight.*** The hopping vampire can never see living creatures, but it can sense their breaths as if it had blindsight to 120 feet. If they hold their breath, they are effectively invisible to it. A creature that falls unconscious stops holding its breath. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The hopping vampire makes two claw attacks. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage, and the target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it begins a gradual transformation into a hopping vampire itself. This transformation takes 1d4 + 1 days. A creature can extend the limit by spending 1 hour dancing on pure sticky rice. For each hour spent in this way before taking a long rest, the creature must make a DC 10 + number of hours Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. A *remove curse* spell ends the vampiric curse. ### Hopping Vampire If a corpse is buried at an inauspicious location, it often returns as a hopping vampire, a dreadful creature that desires only to slay the living. ### Huecuva Huecuvas are created when the chosen of good gods betray those gods. Unlike liches or death knights, huecuvas are not intelligent and are little more than cruel beasts. Although cleric huevucas are the most common, other types of huecuvas do exist, such as monks, druids, paladins, and rangers. Cleric huecuvas usually switch to the Death domain. ___ > ## Huecuva >*Medium undead, any evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (scale mail, shield) > - **Hit Points** 91 (14d8 + 28) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|15 (+2)|7 (-2)|18 (+4)|10 (+0)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 5 (1,800 XP) > ___ > ***Turn Resistance.*** The huecuve has advantage on saving throws against effects that turn undead. > > ***Spellcasting.*** The huecuva is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). The huecuva has the following cleric spells prepared: > > Cantrips (at will): *chill touch* (2d8), *guidance, thaumaturgy, toll the dead* (2d8/2d12) > > 1st-level (4 slots): *bane, bless, charm person, command, false life, ray of sickness* > > 2nd-level (3 slots): *blindness/deafness, hold person, lesser restoration, ray of enfeeblement, silence* > > 3rd-level (2 slots): *animate dead, dispel magic, spirit guardians, vampiric touch* > > ***Touch of Death (Recharge 6).*** When the huecuva lands a melee attack, it adds 15 necrotic damage. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The huecuva attacks once with its battleaxe and once with its blighted fist. > > ***Battleaxe.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 8 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. > > ***Blighted Fist.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 7 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with huecuva blight. The cursed target's Strength and Constitution scores decrease by 1d2 points for every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target's Strength score to 0, the target is paralyzed until it regains at least 1 point of Strength. If the curse reduces the target's Constitution score to 0, the target dies. The curse lasts until removed by the *remove curse* spell or other magic. \page
___ > ## Hulking Corpse >*Large undead, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 9 > - **Hit Points** 199 (19d10 + 95) > - **Speed** 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|23 (+6)|8 (-1)|21 (+5)|3 (-4)|12 (+1)|5 (-3)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Con +9, Wis +5 > - **Damage Resistances** cold, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak > - **Challenge** 9 (5,000 XP) > ___ > > ***Siege Monster.*** The hulking corpse deals double damage to objects and structures. > > ***Regeneration.*** The corpse regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the corpse takes radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the corpse's next turn. The corpse dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The hulking corpse slams twice. If both slams hit the same target, the hulking corpse pulverizes the target, dealing an extra 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage. > > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +10 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. *Hit* 20 (4d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If the target a is Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 17). ### Hulking Corpse Mindless brutes, hulking corpses excel at destroying things. Any army of the undead would love to count one among their ranks, but few can control one. \page
___ ___ > ## Inquisitor >*Medium undead, lawful evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 60 (8d8 + 24) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|13 (+1)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|14 (+2)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Saves** Con +5 > - **Skills** Insight +6, Intimidation +7, Investigation +6, Medicine +6 > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** Common and two local > - **Challenge** 3 (700 XP) > ___ > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** Charisma is the inquisitor's spellcasting ability (DC 13). The inquisitor can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *angry ache, spare the dying* > > 1/day: *pain* > > ***Torturer.*** When torturing a creature, the inquisitor has advantage on Intimidation checks against it, and the creature has disadvantage on Deception checks. Instead of dealing damage, the inquisitor can reduce the target's Charisma by 1. This reduction lasts until the target takes a long rest. > > ***Torturer's Eye.*** The inqusitor targets one creature it can see as a bonus action. The target must contest its Charisma (Deception) check against the inquisitor’s Wisdom (Medicine) check. If the inquisitor wins, it ignores the target's damage resistances and immunities and the target has disadvantage on Concentration checks caused by the inquisitor until the start of its next turn. > > ***Regeneration.*** The inquisitor regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. > > ### Actions > > ***Multiattack.*** The inquisitor makes two attacks. > >***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 9 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage plus 2 (1d4) vile necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of the inquisitor’s next turn. If it fails the save by 5 or more, it is paralyzed while frightened in this way. > >While the vile damage is unhealed, the creature's wounds have purple-black streaks. After festering for 1 minute, the vile damage causes the creature to have disadvantage on saving throws against being frightened by the inquisitor, and the inquisitor can pinpoint the creature's location with perfect accuracy as long as they are on the same plane. > > ***Longbow.*** *Ranged Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, ranged 150/600 ft., one target. *Hit:* 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. > > ***Horrifying Visage.*** Each creature within 60 ft. of the inquisitor that can see it must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if the inquisitor is within line of sight, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to the inquisitor’s Horrifying Visage for the next 24 hours. ### Inquisitor Horrible ancient undead, these abominations exist only to torture the secrets out of other creatures, be they living or undead. They are believed to be an invention of Afflux, though this is not clear. Some find employment as interrogators for liches or other powerful undead, while others strike out on their own. They always seek to incapacitate instead of kill, so that they can extract all their targets' secrets. \page
___ > ## Jolly Roger >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 102 (12d8 + 48) > - **Speed** 30 ft., swim 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|14 (+2)|12 (+1)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|12 (+1)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Con +6, Wis +4 > - **Damage Resistances** fire > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 6 (2,300 XP) > ___ > > ***Master of the Sea.*** The jolly roger never suffers ill effects from nonmagical storms or waves. It has advantage against magical storms or waves. > > ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces the jolly roger to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the jolly roger drops to 1 hit point instead. > > ***Wicked Chuckle.*** When a creature that can hear the jolly roger's chuckling starts its turn within 30 feet of the jolly roger, the jolly roger can force it to make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw if the jolly roger isn’t incapacitated and can speak. On a failure, the creature falls prone, becoming incapacitated and unable to stand up for the duration. A creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or less isn’t affected. > >At the end of each of its turns, and each time it takes damage, the creature can make another Wisdom saving throw. The target had advantage on the saving throw if it’s triggered by damage. On a success, this effect ends. > > ### Actions > ***Cackling Touch.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one creature. *Hit:* The target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it falls prone, becoming incapacitated and unable to stand up for the duration. A creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or less isn’t affected. > >At the end of each of its turns, and each time it takes damage, the creature can make another Wisdom saving throw. The target had advantage on the saving throw if it’s triggered by damage. On a success, this effect ends. > > While this effect is in place, the target loses 1d6 points of Constitution at the start of each of its turns. These reductions last until cured with *greater restoration* or similar magic. ### Jolly Roger The undead remains of ships' captains or dread pirates, jolly rogers are feared for their endless, dark chuckling. One jolly roger typically commands a crew of **sea zombies** (use the **zombie** statblock but add a swim speed of 20). Their ships are not seaworthy and are only kept aloft by their will. If a jolly roger is destroyed, its ship sinks beneath the waves in 2d4 minutes. \page
___ > ## Karrnathi Dread Marshal >*Medium undead, any lawful* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 23 (plate, tower shield, Defense) > - **Hit Points** 93 (11d8 + 44) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|18 (+4)|13 (+1)|12 (+1)|14 (+2)| >___ > - **Skills** History +4, Investigation +4, Intimidation +5 > - **Saving Throws** Wisdom +4 > - **Damage Resistance** cold, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** Common, spoken in an cold tone > - **Challenge** 5 (1,800 XP) > ___ > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** Charisma is the dread marshal's spellcasting ability (DC 13, +5 to hit). The dread marshal can innately cast the following spells, requiring no somatic or material components: > > 3/day: *black sand, boneblade, Kelgore's grave mist* > > ***Auras.*** A dread marshal constantly projects one of the auras described below. That aura affects all allied undead (including the dread marshal itself) within 60 feet. A dread marshal can project only one such aura at a time, but can shift to a new aura as a bonus action. Individual auras don't stack, but a creature can benefit from different auras at once. > > - *Harden Flesh:* All allied undead within range gain +1 to AC. > - *Negative Energy Emanation:* Any being that strikes an allied undead with a melee attack suffers 1d6 points of necrotic damage. > - *Negative Energy Infusion:* All allied undead within range do an extra 1d6 points of necrotic damage on melee attacks. Each time an allied undead deals this negative energy damage, it heals for half the necrotic damage done. > - *Rush:* All allied undead increase their speed by 15 feet. > - *Spirit of Defiance:* All allied undead within range add 1d4 to all saving throws. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The Karrnathi Dread Marshal makes two attacks or Commander's Order in any combination. > > ***Shield Bash.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. *Hit* 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target is pushed 5 feet away. > > ***Commander's Order.*** One friendly undead within 60 feet can use its reaction to make a single attack. ___ > ## Karrnathi Skeleton >*Medium undead, any lawful* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (breastplate) > - **Hit Points** 16 (3d8 + 3) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|10 (+0)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|11 (+0)|10 (+0)|5 (-3)| >___ > - **Skills** Perception +2, Stealth +7 > - **Saving Throws** Wisdom +2 > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** bludgeoning > - **Damage Immunities** cold, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** Common, spoken in an airy whisper > - **Challenge** 1 (200 XP) > ___ > ***Cunning Action.*** The skeleton can take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns. > > ***Pack Tactics.*** The skeleton has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the skeleton's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The skeleton makes two attacks with its scimitars. > > ***Scimitar.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage. > > ***Longbow.*** *Ranged Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. *Hit* 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. ### Karrnathi Dread Marshal Karrnathi dread marshals serve as captains and majors in undead armies. They have powerful auras that mightily strengthen their allies, and a tactical, cunning intelligence. Karrnathi dread marshals retain their position on the good-evil axis from life, but they shift to lawful. ### Karrnathi Skeleton Often employed for intelligence missions, karrnathi skeletons are experts at infiltration and scouting. Karrnathi skeletons retain their position on the good-evil axis from life, but they shift to lawful. \page
___ > ## Karrnathi Zombie >*Medium undead, any lawful* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (half plate, mariner fighting style) > - **Hit Points** 37 (1d4 + 5) > - **Speed** 30 ft., swim 30 ft., climb 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|18 (+4)|11 (+0)|10 (+0)|5 (-3)| >___ > - **Skills** Perception +2 > - **Saving Throws** Wisdom +2 > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** Common, spoken in a deep, scratchy, and guttural voice > - **Challenge** 1 (200 XP) > ___ > ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead. > > ***Pack Tactics.*** The zombie has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the zombie's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated. > > ### Actions > ***Halberd.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. *Hit* 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage. > > ***Heavy Crossbow.*** +3 to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. *Hit* 6 (1d10 + 1) piercing damage. ### Karrnathi Zombie Karrnathi zombies serve loyally even after death, fighting on the front lines with supernatural resilience. Karrnathi skeletons retain their position on the good-evil axis from life, but they shift to lawful. > ##### Variant Karrnathi Undead > > The dread marshal above has the Defense fighting style, the skeleton has the Archery fighting style, and the zombie has the Mariner fighting style. However, you could easily swap one of these fighting style for another. A Karrnathi zombie with tunnel fighter would be a fearsome foe. > > If you cast *create Karrnathi undead*, you can swap one fighting style for another with your DM's approval. \page
___ > ## Knight Haunt >*Medium undead, lawful good* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 21 (full plate, shield, Defense) > - **Hit Points** 85 (10d8 + 40) > - **Speed** 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|18 (+4)|10 (+0)|13 (+1)|14 (+2)| >___ > - **Skills** History +6, Perception +4, Persuasion +5 > - **Saves** Con +7, Wis +4, Cha +5 > - **Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't made of adamantine > - **Damage Immunities** cold, necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 > - **Languages** Common and one ancient > - **Challenge** 7 (2,900 XP) > ___ > > ***Honorbound.*** The knight can't be magically compelled to do anything that goes against its oath. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The knight haunt has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Rejuvenation.*** A destroyed knight haunt rises at the next full moon. If its armor or weapons have been taken from it, it can take control of them and cause them to reform around itself. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The knight haunt makes two attacks. > > ***Blinding Longsword.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) radiant damage, and if the target is a creature, it must succeed at a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the start of the knight's next turn. > > ***Starfire Bolt.*** *Ranged Spell Attack:* +4 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. *Hit:* 5 (1d10) force damage plus 5 (1d10) radiant damage. > > ***Horrifying Visage.*** Each non-undead creature within 60 ft. of the knight haunt that can see it must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if the knight haunt is within line of sight, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to the knight’s Horrifying Visage for the next 24 hours. ___ > ## Kyuss Spawnling >*Tiny undead (wormspawn), chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 9 (2d4 + 4) > - **Speed** 10 ft., swim 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|4 (-3)|18 (+4)|14 (+2)|4 (-3)|12 (+1)|3 (-4)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** — > - **Challenge** 1 (200 XP) > ___ > ***Remove Disease Vulnerability.*** If the Kyuss spawnling is targeted by an effect that cures disease or removes a curse, it dies, as do all of the worms within it. > > ### Actions > ***Create Spawn of Kyuss (1/day).*** The Kyuss spawnling infests a humanoid corpse it touches with worms. The corpse animates as a **spawn of Kyuss** in 10 minutes. > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison damage, and the target must succeed at a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of the spawnling's next turn. ### Knight Haunt Sometimes the spirits of knights refuse to pass on to the afterlife, and continue to fight for the order they belonged to in life. All knight haunts are honorable, just, and continue to possess the knowledge of the code they held to when they were living. ### Kyuss Spawnling These morbid little undead monsters are one of many variations of Kyuss’ spawn. They are created from modified Kyuss worms applied to lizardfolk eggs. They are far weaker than true Kyuss spawn, but can create those horrors if brought into contact with humanoid corpses. \page
___ > ## Necrosis Carnex >*Medium undead, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 60 (8d8 + 24) > - **Speed** 30 ft., climb 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|10 (+0)|16 (+3)|17 (+3)|3 (-4)|12 (+1)|7 (-2)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, prone, poisoned, > - **Senses** blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** understands the language it knew in life but can't speak > - **Challenge** 2 (450 XP) > ___ > ***Necrotic Aura.*** Whenever a creature within 30 feet deals necrotic damage, it rolls the damage twice and uses the higher value. > > ***Death Throes.*** When the carnex dies, it explodes, and each creature within 30 feet of it must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 16 (3d10) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Undead do not take this damage—instead, they are healed by 3d10. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The carnex makes two necrotic touch attacks or can replace one or both of them with a use of restoring touch. > > ***Necrotic Touch.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 8 (1d8 + 3) necrotic damage. > > ***Restoring Touch.*** The carnex touches an undead creature within 5 feet. That creature regains 1d8 + 3 hit points. ### Necrosis Carnex Necrosis carnexes serve as field medics in undead armies, healing their fellow troops. Unlike living medics, when killed they massively heal their allies while brutally hurting their foes. ### Nerephtys A rare form of wormlike earth elemental with crystalline teeth primarily found in the Wormcrawl Fissue, these creatures are sometimes hunted by adventurers for their petrifying abilities. They have the consistency of flowstone, except when they crystallize and turn to hard crystal. When in this form, they are incredibly durable and almost indestructible. Nerephtyses are believed to originate from heavy tampering by Kyuss with earth elementals, and their form certainly evokes his uniquely dark imagination. They prefer to feed on undead, similar to his avolakias. ___ > ## Nerephtys >*Large elemental (wormspawn), neutral* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 126 (12d10 + 60) > - **Speed** 20 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|20 (+5)|8 (-1)|20 (+5)|12 (+1)|11 (+0)|11 (+0)| >___ > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** thunder > - **Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, unconscious > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** Terran > - **Challenge** 7 (2,900 XP) >___ > > ***Crystallization.*** As a bonus action, the nerephtys turns to colorful, durable crystal, petrifying itself (bypassing its normal immunity). While petrified, it is immune to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made of adamantine. Unlike normal petrification, it is still aware of its surroundings, and it can end this condition whenever it pleases (no action required). After ending its petrification, it is restrained until the end of its next turn. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The nerephtys has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Siege Monster.*** The nerephtys deals double damage to objects and structures. > > ### Actions > > ***Multiattack.*** The nerephtys makes one crystallizing bite attack and one constrict attack. > > ***Crystallizing Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage, and if the target is a creature, it must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly petrified. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save begins to turn to crystal and is restrained. The restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the start of the nerephtys's next turn, becoming petrified on a failure or ending the effect on a success. The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by the *greater restoration* spell or other magic. This petrification turns the target to colorful crystal. > > ***Constrict.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and the nerephtys can’t constrict another target. \page
___ ___ > ## Nightcrawler >*Gargantuan undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 20 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 410 (20d20 + 200) > - **Speed** 30 ft., burrow 60 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|30 (+10)|10 (+0)|30 (+10)|20 (+5)|20 (+5)|18 (+4)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 18 > - **Languages** understands all languages but can't speak, telepathy 120 ft. > - **Challenge** 20 (25,000 XP) > ___ > ***Desecrating Aura.*** All undead within 20 feet of the nightcrawler (including itself) have advantage on all saving throws. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** Charisma is the nightcrawler's spellcasting ability (DC 18, +10 to hit). The nightcrawler can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *contagion, darkness, detect magic, dispel magic, haste, invisibility* > > 3/day: *cone of cold, confusion, hold monster* > > 1/day: *finger of death, plane shift* > > ***Severe Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the nightcrawler has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The nightcrawler makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its stinger. > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d10 + 10) necrotic damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the nightcrawler. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the nightcrawler, and it takes 21 (6d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of the nightcrawler's turns. > >If the nightcrawler takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the nightcrawler must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the nightcrawler. If the worm dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone. > > ***Tail Stinger.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +16 to hit, reach 15 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 32 (4d10 + 10) necrotic damage, and the target's Strength score is reduced by 1d6. The target dies if this reduces its Strength to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest. > > ***Call Shadows (1/day).*** The nightcrawler summons 1d8+8 **shadows** or 1d4+2 **shadow assassins** that are under its control and last for 1 hour. ### Nightshade, Nightcrawler A nightcrawler is a massive behemoth similar to a purple worm, though utterly black in color. A nightcrawler measures about 7 feet in diameter and is 100 feet long from its toothy maw to the tip of its stinging tail. It weighs about 55,000 pounds. > ##### Nightshades? > > The nightwalker listed in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes is a type of nightshade. Nightshades are powerful undead composed of equal parts darkness and absolute evil. Their chilling malevolence hangs heavily about them, along with the smell of an open grave on a winter’s morning. > > Nightwalkers gain the Descrating Aura and Severe Sunlight Sensitivity trait other nightshades have, and the same Innate Spellcasting as the nightcrawler, but are otherwise unchanged. ``` ``` > ##### Variant: Nightswimmer > > Nightswimmers have the same stats as nightcrawlers, however they only have 307 (15d20+150) hp, gain a swim speed of 60 feet, and have a CR of 18 (20,000). \page
___ > ## Nighthaunt >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 190 (20d8 + 100) > - **Speed** 40 ft., fly 60 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|17 (+3)|21 (+5)|20 (+5)|16 (+3)|18 (+4)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 14 > - **Languages** understands all languages but can't speak, telepathy 120 ft. > - **Challenge** 12 (8,400 XP) > ___ > > ***Desecrating Aura.*** All undead within 20 feet of the nighthaunt (including itself) have advantage on all saving throws. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** Charisma is the nighthaunt's spellcasting ability (DC 15, +7 to hit). The nighthaunt can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *contagion, darkness, detect magic, haste* > > 3/day: *dispel magic, hold monster, invisibility* > > 1/day: *ice storm, finger of death, plane shift* > > ***Severe Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the nightcrawler has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The nighthaunt makes two claw attacks, a bite attack, and a tail whip attack. If the nighthaunt hits one target with both of its claw attacks, the target is grappled (escape DC 17) and the nighthaunt can use its Life Drain. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 8 (1d6 + 5) necrotic damage. > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 9 (1d8 + 5) necrotic damage. > > ***Tail Whip.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. *Hit* 7 (1d4 + 5) necrotic damage. > > ***Life Drain.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature grappled by the nighthaunt. *Hit:* 23 (4d8 + 5) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. ___ > ## Nightwing >*Huge undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 19 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 230 (20d12 + 100) > - **Speed** 20 ft., fly 60 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|24 (+7)|21 (+5)|22 (+5)|18 (+4)|20 (+5)|18 (+4)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 14 > - **Languages** understands all languages but can't speak, telepathy 120 ft. > - **Challenge** 14 (11,500 XP) > ___ > > ***Desecrating Aura.*** All undead within 20 feet of the nighthaunt (including itself) have advantage on all saving throws. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** Charisma is the nighthaunt's spellcasting ability (DC 17, +9 to hit). The nighthaunt can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *contagion, darkness, detect magic, haste* > > 3/day: *dispel magic, hold monster, invisibility* > > 1/day: *cone of cold, finger of death, plane shift* > > ***Severe Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the nightcrawler has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. > ### Actions > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +12 to hit, reach 5ft., one creature. *Hit* 8 (3d10 + 7) piercing damage plus 22 (4d10) necrotic damage. > ### Nightshade, Nighthaunt Malicious, sinister creatures of unliving darkness, nighthaunts are the smallest and weakest of the nightshades. Because nighthaunts delight in the destruction of the good and the innocent, they are inexorably drawn to places of evil power and defiled goodness, such as desecrated temples or emptied graveyards. ### Nightshade, Nightwing Nightwings prowl the night sky and dive onto their victims. They are all but invisible, detectable only because of the stars they obscure in their passing. \page
___ > ## Odem >*Small undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 > - **Hit Points** 35 (10d6) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|1 (-5)|16 (+3)|11 (+0)|14 (+2)|12 (+1)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 4 (1,100 XP) > ___ > > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The odem can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ***Naturally Invisible.*** The odem is always naturally invisible and stays so even inside an antimagic field. > > ### Actions > > ***Weaken Will.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* The target has disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saves until the end of the odem's next turn. > > ***Possession (Recharge 6).*** One humanoid that the odem can see within 5 ft. of it must succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving throw or be possessed by the odem; the odem then disappears, and the target loses control of its body. The odem now controls the body but doesn’t deprive the target of awareness. The odem can’t be targeted by any attack, spell, or other effect, except ones that turn undead, and it retains its alignment, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and immunity to being charmed and frightened. It otherwise uses the possessed target’s statistics. > > The possession lasts until the body drops to 0 hit points, the odem ends it as a bonus action, or the odem is turned or forced out by an effect like the *dispel evil and good* spell. When the possession ends, the odem reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 ft. of the body. The target is immune to this odem's Possession for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw or after the possession ends. ### Odem Odems are awful undead that possess the living and force them to carry out evil acts as they watch helplessly. \page
___ ___ > ## Overworm >*Gargantuan aberration (wormspawn), chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 11 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 350 (20d20+140) > - **Speed** 20 ft., burrow 20 ft., swim 20 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|28 (+9)|8 (-1)|24 (+7)|2 (-4)|14 (+2)|8 (-1)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Constitution +12 > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** blinded, charmed, frightened, poisoned > - **Senses** blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), tremorsense 120 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** — > - **Challenge** 15 (1,800 XP) > ___ > > ***Call of the Wormgod.*** As a bonus action, the overworm targets one creature within 120 feet of it. That creature must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it is frightened until the start of the overworm's next turn, and stunned while frightened in this way. Wormspawn creatures are immune this effect. > > ***Holy Water Vulnerability.*** Holy water damages the overworm and its worms as if they were undead. > > ***Obey the Wormtouched.*** Although it is nearly mindless, an overworm unerringly understands and follows commands given by undead servants of Kyuss. > > ***Worm Infested.*** Whenever a creature within 5 feet of the overworm strikes it with a melee attack, it is showered in worms. The target must succeed at a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or 2d4 worms land upon it. The worms are Tiny aberrations with AC 6, 1 hit point, a 2 (-4) in every ability score, and a speed of 1 foot. > > While on the target’s skin, the worms can be killed by normal means or scraped off using an action. Otherwise, the worms burrow under the target’s skin at the end of the target’s next turn, dealing l piercing damage to it for each worm that burrows. At the end of each of its turns thereafter, the target takes 7 (2d6) necrotic damage per worm infesting it. A worm-infested target dies if it drops to 0 hit points, then rises 10 minutes later as a **sword of Kyuss** if it is a Small, Medium, or Large humanoid, or as a **favored spawn of Kyuss** otherwise. If a worm-infested creature is targeted by an effect that cures disease or removes a curse, all the worms infesting it wither away. > > ### Actions > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. *Hit:* 35 (4d12 + 9) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 22). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the overworm can’t bite another target. > > ***Swallow.*** The overworm makes one bite attack against a Large or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, that creature takes the bite’s damage and is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the overworm, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the overworm’s turns. > > If the overworm takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the overworm must succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the overworm. If the overworm dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone. ### Overworm Whether they are the source of his power or the expression of his deranged will, the worms of Kyuss come in many sizes and variety. From the worms of corruption no larger than a finger to the enormous overworm, the one thing that binds their kind is their malignant intent. Overworms are never less than 80 feet in length, and weigh at least 40,000 pounds. \page
___ > ## Plague Blight >*Medium undead, any evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 75 (10d8+30) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|15 (+2)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|14 (+2)|13 (+1)| >___ > - **Skills** Acrobatics +6, Deception +7, Stealth +6 > - **Saving Throws** Constitution +6 > - **Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered > - **Condition Immunities** poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 5 (1,800 XP) > ___ > ***Gangrenous Stench.*** Any creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the plague blight must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of the creature's next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to the stench of all plague blights for 1 hour. > > ***Born of the Plague.*** Plague blights are immune to all diseases, magical or mundane. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The plague blight makes two gangrenous fist attacks. > > ***Gangrenous Fist.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 17 (5d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be infected with gangrenous touch. The diseased target must make a new save at the start of each of its turn. On a failure, its hit point maximum decreases by 17 (5d6). If the disease reduces the target's hit point maximum to 0, the target dies. The disease lasts until removed by the *lesser restoration* or *remove curse* spells or other magic. ### Plague Blight Plague blights are animated corpses of humanoids who died from plague or rot. In undeath, they seek to putrefy all that is pure. They are wily and may attempt to trick their victims into allowing themselves get close enough to touch. ### Quell Quells long to commit deicide, but have nowhere near enough power. They settle for killing the servants of gods. ___ > ## Quell >*Medium undead, lawful evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 > - **Hit Points** 38 (5d8 + 15) > - **Speed** 0ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|1 (-5)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|14 (+2)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 2 (450 XP) > ___ > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The quell can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the quell has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. > > ***Concerted Intercession.*** If at least two quells are within 10 feet, all creatures have disadvantage against their Intercession. > > ### Actions > ***Intercession (2/Short or Long Rest).*** As an action, a quell attempts to snuff out divine magic around it. Every divine caster within 30 feet must make a DC 13 Charisma saving throw. If a caster fails its saving throw, it cannot cast divine spells or use Channel Divinity, Dark Knowledge, or Wild Shape for 1 minute. If the quell attacks the creature, this effect immediately ends. If the caster is 1st-level (or up to 2nd level for paladins and rangers), it cannot cast divine spells or use Channel Divinity, Dark Knowledge, or Wild Shape for 24 hours. > > ***Withering Touch.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit* 10 (2d6 + 3) necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. > > ***Anathema Glyph.*** One creature within 120 feet of the quell must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. It takes 7 (2d6) psychic damage on a failure, or half on a success. If it is a divine spellcaster, it must also make a DC 13 Intelligence saving throw be stunned until the start of the quell's next turn. \page
___ ___ > ## Quell, Greater >*Medium undead, lawful evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 > - **Hit Points** 38 (5d8 + 15) > - **Speed** 0ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|1 (-5)|20 (+5)|18 (+4)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|22 (+6)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 11 (7,200 XP) > ___ > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The quell can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ***Concerted Intercession.*** If at least two quells are within 10 feet, all creatures have disadvantage against their Intercession. > > ***Divine Hatred.*** The quell can't be affected or detected by divine spells unless it wishes to be. It has advantage on saving throws against all other spells and magical effects. > > ***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the quell has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. > > ### Actions > > ***Withering Touch.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit* 71 (10d12 + 6) necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. > > ***Anathema Glyph.*** One creature within 120 feet of the quell must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. It takes 65 (10d12) psychic damage on a failure, or half on a success. If it is a divine spellcaster, it must also make a DC 18 Intelligence saving throw be stunned until the start of the quell's next turn. > > ***Intercession (Recharge 4, 5, or 6).*** As an action, a quell attempts to snuff out divine magic around it. Every divine caster within 30 feet must make a DC 18 Charisma saving throw. If a caster fails its saving throw, it cannot cast divine spells or use Channel Divinity, Dark Knowledge, or Wild Shape for 24 hours. If the quell attacks the creature, this effect immediately ends. > > ***Blasphemy (Recharge 6).*** The quell utters a word of absolute hate. Each creature of its choice within 300 feet that can hear it must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it is frightened of the quell. While frightened by this effect, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from the quell by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. If the creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn’t have line of sight to the quell, the creature can make a Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the spell ends for that creature. > > A divine spellcaster that fails the save is paralyzed while it is frightened in this way. > > Additionally, the quell can dispel (as *dispel magic*) all divine magic within 300 feet of it. Its modifier on the dispel check is +10. > > Finally, the awesome power of the blasphemy interferes with divine magic. Until the start of the quell's next turn, anyone trying to cast a divine spell within 300 feet of the quell must succeed at a DC 18 spellcasting ability check. On a failure, the spell fails, but the slot or use is expended all the same. ### Quell, Greater Much like their lesser kin, greater quells hate deities. \page
___ > ## Raam >*Huge undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 207 (18d12 + 90) > - **Speed** 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|29 (+9)|14 (+2)|20 (+5)|16 (+3)|18 (+4)|18 (+4)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Str +13, Dex +6, Con +9, Wis +8 > - **Skills** Athletics +17, Stealth +6, History +11, Perception +12, Performance +8 > - **Damage Immunities** cold, lightning, necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 22 > - **Languages** Giant > - **Challenge** 11 (7,200 XP) > ___ > ***Stone Camouflage.*** The giant has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in rocky terrain. > > ### Actions > > ***Multiattack.*** The giant can use its Frightful Presence. It then flings, makes two slam attacks, or makes one rock attack. > > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. *Hit:* 19 (3d6 + 9) slashing damage. > > ***Rock.*** *Ranged Weapon Attack:* +13 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. *Hit:* 31 (4d10 + 9) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. > > ***Fling.*** The giant tries to throw a Small or Medium creature within 10 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw or be hurled up to 60 feet horizontally in a direction of the giant’s choice and land prone, taking 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it was thrown. > > ***Frightful Presence.*** Each creature of the giant’s choice that is within 120 feet of the giant and aware of it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the giant’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours. > > ### Reactions > > ***Rock Catching.*** If a rock or similar object is hurled at the giant, the giant can, with a successful DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, catch the missile and take no bludgeoning damage from it. ### Raam The raam are all that remains of an ancient race of giants whose culture died out from attrition and an inability to sustain a viable birth rate. As their culture fell into melancholy and malaise, the remaining giants constructed monolithic granite cairns for themselves in deep canyons and beneath domelike hills, and in the end the last survivors descended into their self-made tombs and interred themselves alive. The despair and anger they felt at their fate cursed them to live on after death as undead relics, forever preserving their lost society. > ##### Shambling Bones > Shambling Bones are variant **shambling mounds** created out of mounds of bones. > - The shambling mounds are undead. > - Instead of immunity to lightning damage, they have immunity to necrotic and poison damage. They are also immune to the poisoned condition. > - They have Necrotic Absorption instead of Lightning Absorption. The new trait is functionally identical to the old one, except that it affects necrotic damage. \page
___ ___ > ## Ragewind >*Large undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 315 (30d10 + 150) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 120 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|20 (+5)|20 (+5)|20 (+5)|13 (+1)|13 (+1)|12 (+1)| >___ > - **Skills** Perception +7 > - **Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious > - **Senses** blindsight 120 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17 > - **Languages** Common > - **Challenge** 19 (22,000 XP) > ___ > > ***Flyby.*** The ragewind doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach. > > ***Invisibility.*** The ragewind can surpress or reeanable whirlwind to become invisible as a bonus action until it chooses to resume its whirlwind. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The ragewind has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Reactive.*** The ragewind can take one reaction on every turn in combat. > > ***Whirlwind.*** The ragewind can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. A creature must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw when the whirlwind enters its space or it starts its turn there. A creature takes 22 (4d10) slashing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, the creature is restrained. > >A restrained creature can use an action to make a DC 19 Strength or Dexterity check. If successful, the creature is no longer restrained by the whirlwind and is hurled 3d6 × 10 feet away from it in a random direction. > > ### Actions > > ***Multiattack.*** The ragewind makes six attacks: two each with its greatswords, greataxes, and glaives. > > ***Greatsword.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage. > > ***Greataxe.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 11 (1d12 + 5) slashing damage. > > ***Glaive.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. *Hit:* 11 (1d12 + 5) slashing damage. > > ***Blade Fury (Recharge 5-6).*** Every creature within 15 feet of the ragewind must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 70 (20d6) slashing damage, or half as much on a successful save. > > ### Reactions > ***Parry.*** The ragewind adds 5 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. ### Ragewind Also called sword spirits, ragewinds are the embodied wrath of dead warriors who perished in useless battles. They are usually found in the most volatile and violent of the Outer Planes, but a few sometimes escape to wander the Material Plane as well. On rare occasions, ragewinds form on the Material Plane at the sites of massive battles with heavy casualties. A ragewind normally appears as a churning whirlwind, within which dozens of suspended weapons dance and clash. Its true form is a vaguely humanoid, semisolid cloud of white or gray fog. It has no treasure other than the weapons it carries. \page
___ > ## Raiment >*Small undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 > - **Hit Points** 33 (5d6 + 15) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|7 (-2)|13 (+1)|7 (-2)| >___ > - **Skills** Stealth +7 > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** fire > - **Damage Resistances** cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned, unconscious > - **Senses** blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** — > - **Challenge** 1/2 (100 XP) > ___ > ***False Appearance.*** While the raiment remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal set of clothing. > > ***Turn Immunity.*** The raiment is immune to effects that turn undead. > > ### Actions > ***Strangle.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and can't breathe, the raiment can automatically hit the target with its strangle, and the raiment can't make strangle attacks against other targets. ### Raiment The raiment is a bit of clothing that is animated by the tortured spirit of its original owner. Sometimes someone who suffers a cruel death was so weak they cannot even manifest as a ghost. Instead, their spirit inhabits the clothes they were murdered in, and the seek to share their death with others. \page
___ > ## Remnant >*Medium undead, chaotic neutral* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 > - **Hit Points** 132(1d4 + 5) > - **Speed** 5 ft., swim 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|1 (-5)|15 (+2)|14 (+2)|10 (+0)|12 (+1)|8 (-1)| >___ > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak > - **Challenge** 2 (6723 XP) > ___ > > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The remnant can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ### Actions > ***Chill Touch.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 7 (1d10 + 2) necrotic damage, and the target's speed drops to 0 until the start of the remnant's next turn. For the same duration, it automatically fails Dexterity saving throws. > > ***Etherealness.*** The remnant enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. It is visible on the Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can’t affect or be affected by anything on the other plane. ### Remnant Remnants are the spirits of humanoids whose bodies were thrown into a watery, unconsecrated grave after they had been worked to death. They are not hostile to the living, and only seek to find rest. A remnant can be laid to rest by finding its physical remains and burying them in consecrated or *hallowed* ground. ___ > ## Salt Mummy >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 111 (13d8 + 52) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|19 (+4)|8 (-1)|19 (+4)|7 (-2)|10 (+0)|15 (+2)| >___ > - **Skills** Stealth +5, Perception +3 > - **Saving Throws** Con +7, Wis +3 > - **Damage Immunities** dessication, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 7 (2,900 XP) > ___ > ***Regeneration.*** The salt mummy regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. > > ***Water Weakness.*** All water deals damage to a salt mummy as if it were holy water. > > ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces the salt mummy to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5+the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The salt mummy makes two slam attacks. > > ***Dessicating Fist.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 18 (4d8) dessication damage. ### Salt Mummy Unlike normal mummies, salt mummies are not created by priests. They arise of their own accord when the bodies of wicked people are left to dehydrate away in salt mines. \page
___ > ## Sheet Phantom >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 12 > - **Hit Points** 30 (4d8 + 12) > - **Speed** 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|16 (+3)|15 (+2)|16 (+3)|10 (+0)|10 (+0)|15 (+2)| >___ > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** fire > - **Damage Immunities** bludgeoning, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 2 (450 XP) > ___ > ***Damage Transfer.*** While it is grappling a creature, the sheet phantom takes only half the damage dealt to it, and the creature grappled by the rug takes the other half. > > ***False Appearance.*** While the sheet phantom remains prone and motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal bedsheet. > > ***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the wight has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. > ### Actions > ***Smother.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Medium or smaller creature. *Hit:* The creature is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, blinded, and at risk of suffocating, and the sheet phantom can’t smother another target. In addition, at the start of each of the target’s turns, the target takes 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. ### Sheet Phantom The sheet phantom is a strange undead that results when an evil individual dies in bed. Its soul animates the bedsheets it died in, and tries to strangle others. ___ > ## Dolphin Skeleton >*Medium undead, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 11 (2d8 + 2) > - **Speed** 0 ft., swim 60 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|14 (+2)|15 (+2)|13 (+1)|2 (-4)|12 (+1)|3 (-4)| >___ > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** bludgeoning > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** — > - **Challenge** 1/8 (25 XP) > ___ > ***Charge.*** If the dolphin moves at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a slam attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage. > >### Actions > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. ### Dolphin Skeletons Dolphin skeletons make superb aquatic steeds, as they don't need to breathe. \page
___ ___ > ## Skeleton Warrior >*Medium undead, neutral or neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 22 (dwarven mountain plate) > - **Hit Points** 257 (27d8 + 135) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|29 (+9)|18 (+4)|20 (+5)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Strength +16, Dexterity +11, Constitution +12, Intelligence +10, Wisdom +10, Charisma +10 > - **Skills** Athletics +16, History +10, Investigation +10, Perception +10 > - **Damage Resistances** acid, fire, lightning, thunder > - **Damage Immunities** cold, necrotic, poison; piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, stunned > - **Senses** truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 20 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 23 (50,000 XP) > ___ > ***Equipment.*** The skeleton warrior carries a *vorpal greatsword* and wears *dwarven mountain plate*, a *cape of the mountebank*, and a *belt of storm giant strength.* > > ***Limited Magic Immunity.*** The skeleton warrior can't be affected by spells of 6th level or lower unless it wishes to be. It has advantage on saving throws against all other spells and magical effects. > > ***Turn Immunity.*** The skeleton warrior is immune to effects that turn undead. > > ***Rejuvenation.*** As long as the skeleton's soul circlet exists, a destroyed skeleton warrior gains a new body in 1d10 days, regaining all its hit points and becoming active again. This body appears in a random location. > > ***Action Surge (Recharges on a Short or Long Rest).*** The skeleton warrior takes a second action on its turn. > > ***Great Weapon Supremacy.*** The skeleton warrior rerolls all 1s and 2s on its greatsword's damage dice until they are 3 or higher. It can choose to take a -5 penalty to hit when it attacks with the greatsword, and if it hits, it deals an extra 10 damage. It can increase the to-hit penalty to -10, and increase the bonus damage to +20. It can even increase the penalty to -15 and the bonus to +30. > > ***Legendary Resistance (3/day).*** If the skeleton warrior fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. > > ***Wizard Slayer.*** When the skeleton damages a creature that is concentrating on a spell, that creature has disadvantage on the saving throw it makes to maintain its concentration. > > ***Fighting Spirit (3/day).*** As a bonus action, the skeleton warrior can give itself advantage on weapon attack rolls until the end of the current turn. > > ***Reactive.*** The skeleton warrior can take one reaction on every turn in combat. > > ***Track Circlet.*** A skeleton warrior can track and find its circlet unerringly. It can also find the last person who possessed the circlet. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The skeleton warrior makes four attacks. > > ***Vorpal Greatsword.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +19 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 21 (2d6 + 12) slashing damage. This damage ignores resistance. If the skeleton warrior rolls a 20 on the attack roll, it cuts off one of the creature's heads. The creature dies if it can't survive without the lost head. A creature is immune to this effect if it is immune to slashing damage, doesn't have or need a head, has legendary actions, or the DM decides that the creature is too big for its head to be cut off with this weapon. Such a creature instead takes an extra 6d8 slashing damage from the hit. > > ***Longbow.*** *Ranged Weapon Attack:* +11 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. *Hit* 9 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage. > > ***Teleport (1/day).*** The skeleton warrior casts *dimension door*, requiring no components. When it disappears, it leaves behind a cloud of smoke, and it appears in a similar cloud of smoke at its destination. The smoke lightly obscures the space it left and the space it appears in, and it dissipates at the end of the skeleton warrior's next turn. > > ### Reactions > > ***Stand Firm.*** If an effect moves the skeleton against its will along the ground, it can use its reaction to reduce the distance it is moved by up to 10 feet. > > ***Defy Wizardry.*** When a creature within 5 feet of the skeleton casts a spell, it can make a melee weapon attack against that creature. > > ***Parry.*** The skeleton adds 7 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the skeleton must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon. > > ***Strength before Death (1/day).*** If the skeleton warrior takes damage that reduces it to 0 hit points and doesn't kill it outright, it can delay falling unconscious and immediately take an extra turn. While it has 0 hit points during that extra turn, taking damage causes death saving throw failures as normal, and three death saving throw failures can still kill it. When the extra turn ends, it falls unconscious if it still has 0 hit points. > > ### Legendary Actions > > The skeleton warrior can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The skeleton warrior regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. > > ***Attack.*** The skeleton warrior makes 1 attack. > > ***Deaden Magic (Cost 2 Actions.)*** The skeleton warrior demands that its foes face it in fair combat without mystic trickery. Whenever a spell is cast within 60 feet of the skeleton, the caster must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, losing the spell on a failure. \page
### Skeleton Warrior A mighty wizard may become a lich, or a mighty paladin a death knight. But what of the fighter? The skeleton warrior is the answer to that question. The very epitome of martial prowess, few indeed are those who can hope to stand against one in melee. However, unlike a lich, they possess no magic of their own, and so they hoard magic items to both bolster their ferocity in combat (such as a *vorpal sword* and *belt of giant strength*) and provide solutions to their weaknesses (the *cape of the mountebank* providing a defense against the *forcecage* spell, for example). Skeleton warriors are bound forever to unlife as long as their soul circlet endures. But unlike a lich, a skeleton warrior did not choose immortality. It was forced upon him or her by a mighty power, binding its soul to a magic circlet for all time. Skeleton warriors long to free themselves from their empty existence, and so quest tirelessly for their soul circlets. They track the circlet's location with perfect precision. ___ > ## Skin Kite >*Small undead, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 22 (4d6 + 8) > - **Speed** 10 ft., fly 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|10 (+0)|19 (+4)|14 (+2)|4 (-3)|12 (+1)|6 (-2)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** poisoned > - **Senses** blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 15 > - **Languages** — > - **Challenge** 1 (200 XP) > ___ > > ### Actions > ***Steal Skin.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) piercing damage, and the skin kite attaches to the target. While attached, the skin kite doesn’t attack. Instead, at the start of each of the skin kite’s turns, the target loses 9 (2d4 + 4) hit points due to skin loss. > > The skin kite can detach itself by spending 5 feet of its movement. It does so after it drains 15 hit points of skin from the target or the target dies. > > ***Split.*** After draining 15 hit points of skin, the skin kite splits in half, becoming two skin kites at full hit points. ### Skin Kite Skin kites are undead creatures made up of the stolen skin of past victims. They feed on the skin of living beings, replenishing their own constantly rotting skin, as well as using new skin as spawning material for new skin kites. \page
___ ___ > ## Skull Lord >*Medium undead, lawful evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 113 (15d8 + 45) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|10 (+0)|18 (+4)|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|15 (+2)|17 (+3)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Constitution +6, Intelligence +5, Wisdom +5, > - **Damage Resistances** necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Damage Immunities** cold, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 20 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 7 (2,900 XP) > ___ > ***Multiple Skulls.*** The skull lord has three skulls. While it has more than one skull, the skull lord has advantage on saving throws against being blinded, deafened, stunned, and knocked unconscious, and against effects that turn or rebuke undead. > >When a skull lord is reduced to two-thirds of its full normal hit points, its creator skull shatters. The skull lord loses the ability to create undead, though extant undead remain under its control. When a skull lord is reduced to one-third of its full normal hit points, its spitting skull shatters, and it loses its bone shard ability. If a skull lord is healed so that its hit points once again exceed one-third or two-thirds of its full normal total, the appropriate skull reappears. The skull lord then regains the use of the ability granted by the skull. > > ***Triple Skulls.*** Each round, as a bonus action, the skull lord can do one of the following, assuming it still has the appropriate skull: > > *Bone Beckon.* A skull lord can use its beckoning skull to bring forth fragments of bone from the body of an opponent within 30 feet that has a skeletal system. That creature must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 7 (3d4) piercing damage as shards of bone are torn from its body. > > As part of the same bonus action, the skull lord can then cause the shards to be absorbed by a corporeal undead of its choice within 30 feet (including itself). The chosen undead heals damage equal to the amount done to the original target. Alternatively, a skull lord can hold the shards in the mouse of its spitting skull. > > *Bone Shard.* If a skull lord has fragments of bone in its mouth, it can spit the bones at one creature within 60 feet. It makes a +7 ranged weapon attack. On a hit, the bones deal 7 (3d4) piercing damage. > > If it uses the *bone shard* ability against the creature it used *bone beckon* on, the *bone shard* automatically hits. > > *Create Servitor.* A skull lord’s creator skull can create a bonespur, a serpentir, or a skeletal creature from nearby bones and bone shards. Undead created by this ability are automatically under the skull lord’s control. > > A skull lord can have two serpentirs, four bonespurs, and ten skeletons under its control. It can also have one skeletal creature of CR 4 or lower under its control. Typically, half of its minions are off on missions for some nefarious purpose, leaving half to guard it. > > ***Create Spectral Rider.*** Once per month, a skull lord can engage in a 12-hour ritual under the dark moon to create a spectral rider from the remains of a mounted warrior. The spectral rider is loyal to the skull lord, but it is not controlled. Through use of this ability, a skull lord can have one spectral rider servant at a time, creating a new one only after an existing servant is destroyed. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The skull lord makes two skull staff attacks. > > ***Skull Staff.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit* 9 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (2d8) cold damage. ### Skull Lord The skull lords are agents of the dead necromancer Vrakmul. They are grouped with several of their main minions here for convenience. > ##### Note >An alternate (and far more powerful) skull lord is presented in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. This one is ideal as a boss for a 5th-level party. \page
___ > ## Bonespur >*Large undead, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 9 > - **Hit Points** 43 (5d10 + 15) > - **Speed** 10 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|16 (+3)|8 (-1)|16 (+3)|3 (-4)|6 (-2)|5 (-3)| >___ > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** bludgeoning > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 8 > - **Languages** understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak > - **Challenge** 1 (200 XP) > ___ > > ***Charging Form (1/day).*** As a bonus action, the bonespur reconfigures into a rhinolike form. While in this form, its movement speed increases to 40 ft. If the bonespur moves at least 20 ft. straight toward a target and then hits it with a bone scythe attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 6 (1d12) slashing damage. However, the reach of the bone scythe decreases to 5 ft. while the bonespur is in this form. > > At the end of each of its turns in this form, it must roll a d6. On a roll of 1, it reverts to its normal form. It can also leave the form early if it desires (no action needed). > > ***Boneshard Blast.*** When in Charging Form and immediately after making a bone scythe attack, the bonespur can explode into a cloud of bones. All creatures within 10 feet of it must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 6 (1d12) piercing damage. The bonespur then becomes inert for the 24 hours and appears destroyed. Sprinkling holy water upon its remains prevents it from reforming. Otherwise, the bonespur reforms after 24 hours. > > ***Stable.*** The bonespur has advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone. > > ### Actions > ***Bone Scythe.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. *Hit* 9 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage. If the bonespur scores a critical hit, it rolls damage dice three times, instead of twice. ### Bonespur Bonespurs are little more than animals designed to kill. ``` ``` ___ > ## Serpentir >*Large undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 68 (8d10 + 24) > - **Speed** 50 ft., climb 50 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|12 (+1)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|9 (-1)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)| >___ > - **Skills** Perception +5, Survival +7 > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** bludgeoning > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 3 (700 XP) > ___ > ***Two Heads.*** The serpentir has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious. > > ***Dual Actions.*** The serpentir can take two actions, two bonus actions, and two reactions. > > ***Sense Emotions.*** The serpentir is considered to have blindsight out to a range of 60 ft., when it comes to detecting creatures capable of feeling emotion. This blindsight is not useful against constructs, some mindless creatures, and objects. > > ***Slither Through.*** The serpentir has advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone, and it ignores nonmagical difficult terrain. > > ***Churning Ribs.*** When the serpentir grapples a Medium or smaller creature, it can draw the creature into its churning ribs. The churning ribs can only hold one creature at a time. The serpentir's speed is not slowed when the only creature it is grappling is in its ribs. Any creature that ends its turn in the churning ribs takes 5 (2d4) slashing damage. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The serpentir makes two claw attacks. If it hits with both claw attacks, it grapples the target (escape DC 13) and if the target is Medium or smaller it can immediately place the creature in its Churning Ribs. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit* 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage. ### Serpentir The horrid serpentirs delight in the thrill of the hunt, and stalk humanoids much like they stalk elk. \page
___ > ## Spectral Rider >*Medium undead, lawful evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 20 (full plate, shield) > - **Hit Points** 113 (15d8 + 45) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|17 (+3)|14 (+2)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|12 (+1)|15 (+2)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 6 (2,300 XP) > ___ > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The spectral rider can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ***Aura of Supreme Will.*** All undead neutral or friendly to the spectral rider add 1d6 to all their saves while within 30 feet of it. This also causes the holy symbols of any hostile creature within the radius to explode into acid, forcing all creatures within 5 feet of the holy symbol to make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw. Creatures take 7 (2d6) acid damage on a failure, or half on a success. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The spectral rider can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *feign life* (self only)*, find skeletal steed, Kelgore's grave mist, rally of the damned* > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The spectral rider makes three attacks. > > ***Spectral Longsword.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit* 5 (1d8 + 3) force damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. > > ***Draining Bolt.*** *Ranged Spell Attack:* +5 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. *Hit* 8 (1d10 + 3) necrotic damage. > > ***Life Drain.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. ``` ``` ### Spectral Rider The spectral rider exists in a strange state where it gains the benefits of incorporeality, but can still wear equipment, wield blades, and wear armor. \page
___ > ## Skulking Cyst >*Small undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 33 (6d6 + 12) > - **Speed** 30 ft. climb 30 ft., swim 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|10 (+0)|18 (+4)|14 (+2)|13 (+1)|14 (+2)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Skills** Perception +4, Stealth +8 > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Damage Resistances:** fire, necrotic > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, poisoned, prone > - **Senses** blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak > - **Challenge** 2 (450 XP) > ___ > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** Charisma is the skulking cyst's spellcasting ability (DC 13). The cyst can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > 3/day: *darkness* > > 1/day: *necrotic cyst, necrotic bloat* > > ### Actions > > ***Blood Drain.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage plus 5 (2d4) necrotic damage, and the cyst attaches to the target. While attached, the cyst doesn't attack. Instead, at the start of each of the cyst's turns, the target loses 11 (3d4 + 4) Hit Points due to blood loss. The cyst can detach itself by spending 5 feet of its movement. A creature, including the target, can use its action to detach the cyst. > > If a creature dies due to Blood Drain while carrying a necrotic cyst, that creature rises as a skulking cyst in 24 hours unless its body is destroyed. ### Skulking Cyst A skulking cyst is the result of someone killed by a cyst spell, or more rarely while under a cyst spell. It exists to spread its own necrotic nature. ___ > ## Slaymate >*Small undead, any alignment* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 11 > - **Hit Points** 10 (3d6) > - **Speed** 20 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|8 (-1)|13 (+1)|10 (+0)|12 (+1)|13 (+1)|15 (+2)| >___ > - **Skills** Stealth +3 > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 1/2 (100 XP) > ___ > ***Pale Aura.*** All necromancy spells cast within 10 feet of a slaymate are cast as if a slot one level higher were used. > > ***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the slaymate has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. > ### Actions > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or contract pale wasting (see the sidebar). ### Slaymate The slaymate is an undead child who bolsters the power of necromancers. > **Pale Wasting.** This grim disease sucks away a victim's very lifeforce, eventually turning them to dust. Symptoms include very pale skin, a nihilistic worldview, and fatigue. At the end of each long rest, a creature must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. A failed save increases the creature's exhaustion level by 1. Resting does not remove this exhaustion. A successful save only means the condition does not worsen. If a creature's exhaustion reaches 6, it dies and its body crumbles to fine dust as per *disintegrate*. After 3 successful saving throws, which do not have to be consecutive, the disease is cured completely. \page
___ ___ > ## Sword of Kyuss >*Mediun undead (wormspawn), lawful evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 19 (heavy plate) > - **Hit Points** 190 (20d8 + 100) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|20 (+5)|16 (+3)|20 (+5)|15 (+2)|12 (+1)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Saves** Int +6, Wis +5 > - **Skills** History +10, Insight +5, Intimidation +11, Investigation +6, Perception +9, Religion +10 > - **Damage Immunities** cold, lightning, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 19 > - **Languages** Abyssal, Flan (or a similar ancient language) > - **Challenge** 10 (5,900 XP) > ___ > > ***Action Surge (1/rest).*** The sword takes an extra action on its turn. > > ***Duel.*** As a bonus action, the sword of kyuss challenges one creature within 60 feet of it to a duel. The creature can choose to accept or reject the duel. If it rejects the duel, it had disadvantage on attack rolls until the start of the sword's next turn. Once accepted, when a creature wins the duel, it gains advantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws for 1 minute. If the sword's opponent or their allies break the terms of the duel, it also gains this advantage for 1 minute. > > ***Guardian.*** As a bonus action, the sword enters a stance that lasts until the start of its next turn. While in its defensive stance, it can make opportunity attacks without using its reaction, and it can use its reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5ft while within its reach. > >Additionally, whenever the sword hits a creature with an opportunity attack, the target's speed drops to 0 for the rest of the turn. Creatures within its reach provoke opportunity attacks even if they take the Disengage action. > > ***Honorbound.*** The sword has a code of honor it is psychologically incapable of breaking. If it breaks this code, it suffers disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws for 1 day. > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The sword has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Magic Weapons.*** The sword's weapon attacks are magical. > > ***Duelist.*** The sword has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if no other creatures are within 5 feet of either the sword or its target. > > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The sword makes three attacks. > > ***Wormblade.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) vile acid damage. If the target dies with the vile damage unhealed, it can't be brought back through any means short of a *wish*. > > ***Wormbow.*** *Ranged Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, range 150ft./600ft., one target. *Hit:* 7 (1d8 + 7) piercing damage and if the target is a humanoid, a worm of kyuss latches onto its skin. The worm is a Tiny aberration with AC 6, 1 hit point, a 2 (-4) in every ability score, and a speed of 1 foot. While on the target’s skin, the worm can be killed by normal means or scraped off using an action. Otherwise, the worm burrows under the target’s skin at the end of the target’s next turn, dealing 1 piercing damage to it. At the end of each of its turns thereafter, the target takes 7 (2d6) necrotic damage per worm infesting it. A worm-infested target dies if it drops to 0 hit points, then rises 10 minutes later as a spawn of Kyuss. If a worm-infested creature is targeted by an effect that cures disease or removes a curse, all the worms infesting it wither away. > > ***Invocation of the Worm (Recharge 5-6).*** A sword of Kyuss can unleash a blast of negative energy and illusory, translucent green worms from a point within 300 feet of it. Each living non-wormspawn creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. The sphere spreads around corners. A living non-wormspawn creature takes 28 (8d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. An undead or wormspawn creature instead gains a like number of temporary hit points that last until removed. Wormspawn creatures gain maximum hit points. > > ***Worm Healing.*** The sword of Kyuss consumes a wormswarm within 5 feet of it. This heals the sword of Kyuss of all damage and grants it the benefit of a *panacea* spell. The wormswarm is completely destroyed, but makes no move to defend itself from this consumption. > > ### Reactions > > ***Parry.*** The sword adds 4 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the sword must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon. ### Sword of Kyuss The swords of Kyuss are unique among his minions in that they are his only lawful evil creations, although they are as enthusiastic about death, undeath, and decay as any of his servants. Several knightly orders served Kyuss in life, each with their own code of honor. All of them, however, had rules for duels both within the order and towards non-members. The basic terms of a duel are simple. Neither is to attack or be attacked by anyone other than their opponent for the duration of the duel, and neither is to move more than 60 feet away from the other. If the sword's opponents break these rules, it is filled with righteous and deadly wrath. \page
___ > ## Tomb Mote >*Tiny undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 32 (9d4 + 9) > - **Speed** 20ft., swim 20 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|7 (-2)|17 (+3)|12 (+1)|10 (+0)|12 (+1)|14 (+2)| >___ > - **Skills** Stealth +7 > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poisoned > - **Condition Immunities** poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** Common, Abyssal > - **Challenge** 1 (300 XP) > ___ > ***Supernatural Speed.*** The tomb mote can take two actions per round instead of one. > > ***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the tomb mote has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. > > ***Necrotic Absorption.*** Whenever the tomb mote is subjected to necrotic damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt. > > ***Pack Tactics.*** The tomb mote has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the tomb mote's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated. > ### Actions > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage and the target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or suffer corpse bloat. ### Tomb Mote Tomb motes are "incidental" undead--undead created by accident when more powerful creatures are created. > **Corpse Bloat.** This disgusting disease causes a creature's body to puff up, turn green, and makes movement painful. At the end of each long rest, an afflicted creature must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution save or its Dexterity score is reduced by 1d4. A successful save restores 1d4 Dexterity. The disease is cured when all Dexterity returns. A creature with its Dexterity reduced to 0 is paralyzed until it regains at least 1 point of Dexterity. ___ > ## Tomb Spider >*Large monstrosity, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 171 (18d10 + 72) > - **Speed** 30 ft., climb 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|19 (+4)|18 (+4)|19 (+4)|4 (-3)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Skills** Perception +6, Stealth +10 > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic > - **Senses** blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16 > - **Languages** — > - **Challenge** 6 (2,300 XP) > ___ >***Necrotic Absorption.*** Whenever the spider is subjected to necrotic damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt. > > ***Spider Climb.*** The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. > > ***Web Sense.*** While in contact with a web, the spider knows the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web. > > ***Web Walker.*** The spider ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The spider makes two bite attacks, or one bite attack and one web attack. > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is poisoned for the next minute. While poisoned in this way, it is considered to be undead for the purposes of all healing abilities, and any healing that does not work on undead instead deals equivalent radiant damage. For example, a 6th-level *heal* would do 70 radiant damage. > >***Web (Recharge 5-6).*** *Ranged Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one Large or smaller creature. *Hit:* The creature is restrained by webbing. As an action, the restrained creature can make a DC 15 Strength check, escaping from the webbing on a success. The effect ends if the webbing is destroyed. The webbing has AC 10, 10 hit points, vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage. ### Tomb Spider Tomb spiders are arachnoid creatures suffused with negative energy. Their poison reverses healing spells and effects that target the poisoned creature. \page
___ > ## Totem Chieftan >*Medium undead, lawful neutral* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 19 (heavy plate) > - **Hit Points** 124 (13d8 + 65) > - **Speed** 30ft., fly 60 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|20 (+5)|12 (+1)|20 (+5)|16 (+3)|18 (+4)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Skills** History +9, Insight +10, Persuasion +9 > - **Damage Resistances** necrotic, radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that haven't been bathed in the ashes of a sacred plant > - **Damage Immunities** poisoned > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 7 (2,900 XP) > ___ > > ***Rejuvenation.*** If it dies, the chieftan returns to life at the next sunset and regains all its hit points as long as at least one member of its tribe remains alive. If every member of its tribe is killed, it no longer rejuvenates, but it and all allied undead within 60 feet of it gain advantage on all ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws as their hearts fill with rage. > > ***Totem Empowerment.*** The chieftan and any allied totem zombies within 60 ft. of it have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened, and against effects that turn undead. > > ***Regeneration.*** The chieftan regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. > > ***Magic Weapons.*** The chieftan’s weapon attacks are magical. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The chieftan makes two attacks. > > ***Maul.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. *Miss:* The target takes 5 bludgeoning damage. > > ***Ancestor's Fury.*** *Ranged Spell Attack:* +7 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. *Hit:* 11 (2d10) radiant damage. > > ***Create Totem Zombie.*** The chieftan targets an appropriately prepared humanoid of its tribe within 10 feet of it. The target rises as a totem zombie. The zombie is not under the chieftan’s control but is deeply loyal to it. ### Totem Chieftan Totem chieftans are legendary leaders from a tribe's ancient history who lead their totem zombies in battle, and counsel the living in peace. If the tribe doesn't have metallurgy, plate is made of iron-hard bark, dragon bones, or some other suitable material. \page
___ ___ > ## Ulgurstasta >*Gargantuan undead (wormspawn), chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 19 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 247 (15d20 + 90) > - **Speed** 40 ft., burrow 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|26 (+8)|15 (+2)|23 (+6)|18 (+4)|16 (+3)|19 (+4)| >___ > - **Skills** Arcana +14, History +14, Intimidation +14, Perception +13 > - **Saving Throws** Constitution +11, Wis +8 > - **Damage Resistances** necrotic > - **Damage Immunities** acid, cold, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned > - **Senses** truesight 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 23 > - **Languages** understands Common but can't speak > - **Challenge** 14 (11,500 XP) > ___ > > ***Flailing Tendrils.*** The millions of pores on an ulgurstasta’s body provide it with a deadly defense; each pore contains a coiled, 40-foot-long, hair-thin tendril. When the creature is angered, the tendrils extend to their full range and whip about in a frenzy. This storm of tendrils renders all creatures within 40 feet of the ulgurstasta of its choice immune to nonmagical ranged weapons such as arrows. Conversely, the storm of tendrils deals 6 (1d12) points of slashing damage per round to any other creature within 40 feet of the ulgurstasta. > > ***Necromantic Acid.*** A creature killed by the ulgurstasta's acid spray, or when inside the Ulgurstasta (see Bite) immediately animates as an **ooze skeleton** under the ulgurstasta's control, but those inside it lay dormant until vomited back up (see Acid Spray). > > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The ulgurstasta has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Tunneler.*** The ulgurstasta can burrow through solid rock at half its burrow speed and leaves a 20-foot-diameter tunnel in its wake. > ### Actions > ***Acid Spray (1/day).*** The ulgurstasta vomits up the contents of its stomach in an acidic blast. Each creature in a 60-foot cone must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw, taking 63 (18d6) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature reduced to 0 HP by this effect dies and rises as an **ooze skeleton** under the ulgurstasta's control. Additionally, 2d4 **ooze skeletons** inside the ulgurstasta are hurled out and immediately roll initiative. They are under its control. > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +13 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. *Hit:* 21 (3d8 + 8) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 21). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the ulgurstasta can’t bite another target. > > ***Swallow.*** The ulgurstasta makes one bite attack against a Huge or smaller target it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is also swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the ulgurstasta, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the ulgurstasta’s turns. An ulgurstasta's gut can hold 2 Huge creatures, 8 Large creatures, 32 Medium, or 128 Small creatures. > >If the ulgurstasta takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the ulgurstasta must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the ulgurstasta. If the ulgurstasta dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone. ### Ulgurstasta Massive undead maggots made by Kyuss's faithful, the appearance of an ulgurstasta is a cataclysmic event. Kyuss's worshippers see one's arrival as a divine portent, and all saner beings see it as a catastrophe. \page
___ > ## Vassalich >*Medium undead, any evil * > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 (*mage armor*) > - **Hit Points** 60 (9d8 + 18) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|8 (-1)|14 (+2)|14 (+2)|18 (+4)|8 (-1)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Int +7, Wis +2 > - **Skills** History +7, Arcana +7, Persuasion +6, Investigation +7 > - **Damage Resistances** cold, lightning, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** passive Perception 9, darkvision 60 ft. > - **Languages** any five > - **Challenge** 7 (2,900 XP) > ___ > ***Rejuvenation.*** If it has a phylactery, a destroyed vassalich gains a new body in 1d10 days, regaining all its hit points and becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of the phylactery. > > ***Turn Resistance.*** The vassalich has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. > > ***Spellcasting. *** The vassalich is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). The vassalich has the following wizard spells prepared: > > Cantrips (at will): *toll the dead, minor illusion, prestidigitation* > > 1st-level (4 slots): *mage armor, shield, apprentice's teleport* > > 2nd-level (3 slots): *darkness, mirror image* > > 3rd-level (3 slots): *fireball, major image, blink, counterspell* > > 4th-level (3 slots): *polymorph, fire shield* > > 5th-level (1 slot): *wall of force, dominate person* > > ### Actions > ***Slowing Touch.*** *Melee Spell Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (2d6) cold damage. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be affected as if by a *slow* spell for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Creatures immune to paralysis are immune to this effect. ### Vassalich Generally speaking, only a spellcaster with access to 9th level spells can become a lich. However, just as mortal archmages often have apprentices, liches can create apprentice-liches called vassaliches. The only requirement to become a vassalich are at least 1 level in a spellcasting class, and the patronage of a lich. The lich retains the vassalich's phylactery, and thus has total control over it. When a vassalich gains access to 9th-level spells, it becomes a true lich, but its master still retains its phylactery unless the apprentice steals, bargains for, or murders for it back. \page
___ > ## Vasuthant >*Small undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 22 (5d6 + 5) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 30ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|10 (+0)|16 (+3)|13 (+1)|12 (+1)|12 (+1)|14 (+2)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** acid, cold, necrotic, poison, radiant > - **Condition Immunities** blinded, charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned > - **Senses** blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** none, but see Undead Empathy > - **Challenge** 2 (450 XP) > ___ > ***Reality Distortion (3/day).*** The vasuthant rerolls one die roll, or forces another creature it can see to reroll one die roll. > > ***Trap Light.*** The vasuthant generates a 60-foot aura of darkness that absorbs both magical and nonmagical light. Creatures with darkvision can see in this as if it were dim light. > > ***Dark Tendrils.*** The vasuthant can spontaneously generate as many tendrils as it needs to maintain grapples on as many foes as it wishes. > > ***Undead Empathy.*** The vasuthant can understand anything an undead being says, and can communicate with undead telepathically when within 120 feet. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The vasuthant makes 1d4 tendril attacks and uses Enervating Crush. It can only make one tendril attack against a single target. > > ***Tendril.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). While the vasuthant has the target grappled, it has advantage on these attacks. > > ***Enervating Crush.*** Up to 4 creatures grappled by the vasuthant must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throws. On a failure, an affected creature takes 7 (2d6) necrotic damage and deals only half damage with weapon attacks that use Strength. At the end of its turns, it can make a Constitution save. On a success, the effect ends. ### Vasuthant No one has ever seen a the creature that dies and becomes a vasuthant, and the prevailing theory holds that they are negative energy itself given unlife. If an elemental can die and become undead, is it impossible that undeath could die and become undead? \page
___ ___ > ## Visage >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 93 (17d8+17) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 50 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|10 (+0)|18 (+4)|12 (+1)|14 (+2)|13 (+1)|19 (+4)| >___ > - **Skills** Acrobatics +12, Deception +12, Insight +9, Investigation +6, Perception +5, Stealth +12 > - **Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Damage Immunities** poison, radiant > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 > - **Languages** Common, Abyssal > - **Challenge** 9 (5,000 XP) > ___ > ***Assume Identity.*** A visage can take the form of someone it has killed within the last round without spending an action. A visage in an assumed identity gains advantage on Deception checks made to pass as the victim. It also gains proficiency in the skills, languages and tools of the victim. > > This effect lasts for 24 hours, though the visage can dismiss it at will. While a visage is in the form of its victim, that victim can’t be returned to life except by a *true resurrection* spell (which also immediately ends the effect on the visage). After 24 hours, or if the identity is dismissed, the soul is damaged, and the victim can be returned to life only by a *wish* spell followed by a *true resurrection*, or by direct divine intervention. > > ***Magic Weapons.*** The visage's weapon attacks are magical. > > ***Turn Resistance.*** The visage has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. > > ***Assassinate.*** The visage has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn't taken a turn in the combat yet. In addition, any hit it scores against a creature that is surprised is a critical hit. > > ***Sneak Attack.*** Once per turn, the visage deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the visage that isn't incapacitated and the visage doesn't have disadvantage on the attack roll. > > ***Create Spawn.*** A creature native to one of the Outer Planes slain by the visage rises 24 hours later as a visage under the killer's control, unless the creature is restored to life. The visage can have no more than two visages under its control at one time. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The visage's spellcasting ability is Charisma (save DC 16). The visage can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *major image* (only perceptible to one target) > > 1/day: *dominate person*, *plane shift* (self only) > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The visage makes two claw attacks. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit* 11 (2d6+4) slashing damage. ### Visage Visages enjoy infiltrating and bringing about destruction through subterfuge. \page
___ ___ > ## Visage, Champion >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 18 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 149 (17d8+17) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 50 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|10 (+0)|20 (+5)|14 (+2)|14 (+2)|13 (+1)|22 (+6)| >___ > - **Skills** Acrobatics +15, Deception +16, Insight +10, Investigation +7, Perception +6, Stealth +16 > - **Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison, radiant > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned, restrained > - **Senses** truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 16 > - **Languages** all > - **Challenge** 13 (10,000 XP) > ___ > ***Assume Identity.*** A visage can take the form of someone it has killed within the last round without spending an action. A visage in an assumed identity gains advantage on Deception checks made to pass as the victim. It also gains proficiency in the skills and tools of the victim. > > This effect lasts for 24 hours, though the visage can dismiss it at will. While a visage is in the form of its victim, that victim can’t be returned to life except by a *true resurrection* spell (which also immediately ends the effect on the visage). After 24 hours, or if the identity is dismissed, the soul is damaged, and the victim can be returned to life only by a *wish* spell followed by a *true resurrection*, or by direct divine intervention. > > ***Magic Weapons.*** The visage's weapon attacks are magical. > > ***Turn Resistance.*** The visage has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead. > > ***Assassinate.*** The visage has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn't taken a turn in the combat yet. In addition, any hit it scores against a creature that is surprised is a critical hit. > > ***Sneak Attack.*** Once per turn, the visage deals an extra 24 (7d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the visage that isn't incapacitated and the visage doesn't have disadvantage on the attack roll. > > ***Legendary Resistance (3/day).*** When the visage fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. > > ***Pointed Knowledge.*** The visage instantly knows facts about creatures it speaks to, such as their age, where they were born, and the important events of their lives. > > ***Create Spawn.*** A creature native to one of the Outer Planes slain by the visage rises 24 hours later as a visage under the killer's control, unless the creature is restored to life. The visage can have no more than four visages under its control at one time. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The visage's spellcasting ability is Charisma (save DC 19). The visage can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *major image* (only perceptible to one target), *dominate person*, *phantasmal force,* *mislead* > > 3/day: *phantasmal killer*, *seeming*, *blink*, *mirror image*, *prying eyes*, *arcane eye*, *locate creature* > > 1/day: *plane shift* (self only), *mirage arcane*, *dominate monster* > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The visage makes two claw attacks. It can replace one attack with an at-will innate spell. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit* 11 (2d6+5) slashing damage plus 10 (3d6) psychic damage. > > > ### Legendary Actions > The visage can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The visage regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. > > **Lucidity Control.** The visage innately casts *major image*, but it is only perceptible to one target of the visage's choice. > > **Mislead (costs 2 actions).** The visage casts *mislead* and can move up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks. > > **Instant Assumption (costs 3 actions).** The visage chooses one creature within 60 feet. This target must succeed on a DC 19 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, it and the visage swap places, with the visage turning into it as if by its Assume Identity trait. The target is magically disguised as the visage for the next 24 hours, and fully believes itself to be such during the duration. When this effect ends, the target fully remembers any actions it committed. This effect can be broken early by *greater restoration*. ### Visage, Champion Champion visages are the kings and queens of their kind, perfectly designed for infiltration. \page
___ ___ > ## Vitreous Drinker >*Medium undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 22 (Vecna's kiss, *mage armor*) > - **Hit Points** 135 (18d8 + 54) > - **Speed** 30 ft., climb 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|12 (+1)|18 (+4)|16 (+3)|20 (+5)|14 (+2)|17 (+3)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Con +7, Int +9, Wis +6 > - **Skills** Arcana +13, History +9, Investigation +9 > - **Damage Immunities** force, necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** all > - **Challenge** 10 (5,900 XP) > ___ > ***Vecna's Kiss.*** The vitreous drinker adds its Intelligence to its Armor Class (included). The vitreous drinker is immune to all divination spells cast against it or cast to learn information about it. Such divination fails to reveal any information. The vitreous drinker immediately learns the name, appearance, and location of the caster who attempted the divination. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The vitreous drinker's spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17). The vitreous drinker can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *arcane eye, blight, contact other plane, detect magic, detect thoughts, identify, legend lore, mage armor, scrying, vampiric touch* > > 3/day: *eyebite, probe thoughts* > > 1/day: *circle of death, dimension door, finger of death* > > ***Horrifying Gaze.*** When a creature that can see the vitreous drinker's eyes starts its turn within 30 ft. of the drinker, the drinker can force it to make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw if the drinker isn’t incapacitated and can see the creature. On a failure, the target is frightened until the start of its next turn, and incapacitated while frightened in this way. > >Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can’t see the drinker until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at the drinker in the meantime, it must immediately make the save. > > ***Spectral Ravens.*** A vitreous drinker is accompanied at all times by spectral ravens that serve the drinker unconditionally. The drinker shares a powerful symbiotic link with the spectral ravens. It is constantly aware of what they see and hear and can direct them at will (no action required). The ravens have the Incorporeal Movement trait, and a vitreous drinker can control them as long as they remain on the same plane as the drinker. The ravens are not creatures, but rather objects spawned by the drinker. Each raven has 5 hit points and AC 15, a +9 Perception modifier, and resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, thundering damage, and to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks. Otherwise, treat them as unattended, Tiny objects. A vitreous drinker is accompanied by up to twenty-four ravens, and if any are destroyed, the creature can restore them at a rate of one per day. > >The ravens have a fly speed of 120 feet and can hover. They cannot take independent action, nor can they do anything to physically affect the world around them. They exist solely to observe. > > ### Actions > ***Tongue Lash.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 10ft., one creature. *Hit* 20 (3d10 + 4) necrotic damage, and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution save. On a failure, its eyes are sucked out of their sockets, reappearing on the drinker. The drinker can see out of the target's eye sockets with its normal senses as if it were there. An eyeless target is blinded until its eyes are restored through a *regeneration* spell or similar magic. > > The drinker can choose to do no damage if it desires (to leave a creature alive as an unwitting spy, for instance). ### Vitreous Drinker Vitreous drinkers are created from Vecna's most devoted minions, and are sent forth to mastermind unguessable dark conspiracies. Many of them are **vecna-blooded**. \page
___ ___ > ## Slaughter Wight >*Medium undead, chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 104 (16d8+32) > - **Speed** 30ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|19 (+4)|17 (+3)|14 (+2)|11 (+0)|10 (+0)|8 (-1)| >___ > - **Skills** Acrobatics +6, Perception +3, Stealth +9 > - **Damage Resistances** necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 7 (2,900 XP) > ___ > ***Weakness Seeker.*** The slaughter wight scores critical hits on rolls of 17-20. Additionally, when it scores a critical hit, the target becomes frightened of the slaughter wight for 1 minute. All its allies within 30 feet must make a DC 13 Wisdom save or become frightened of the slaughter wight for 1 minute. A frightened ally can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. A target that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the frightening effect of all slaughter wights for the next 24 hours. > > ***Assassinate.*** The slaughter wight has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn't taken a turn in the combat yet. In addition, any hit it scores against a creature that is surprised is a critical hit. > > ***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the slaughter wight has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The slaughter wight makes two attacks, either with its longsword or longbow. It can use Life Drain in place of one longsword attack. > > ***Life Drain.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 20 (5d6 + 4) necrotic damage and the slaughter wight regains hit points equal to the necrotic damage done. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. > >A humanoid slain by this attack rises 24 hours later as a regular wight under the slaughter wight’s control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. The slaughter wight can have no more than four wights under its control at one time. Sometimes a newly created spawn becomes a slaughter wight instead of a mere wight, though the wiles of the dark gods determine such instances (that is, the DM decides when this occurs). > > ***Longsword.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 9 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage, or 10 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage if used with two hands, plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. > > ***Longbow.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 5 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. ### Wight, Slaughter Wight Slaughter wights kill for payment or pleasure. >*“I know only this—I feed to live, and live to feed.”* > >—Redbone, wight assassin \page
___ ___ > ## Vilewight >*Medium undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 93 (11d8 + 44) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|18 (+4)|15 (+2)|18 (+4)|17 (+3)|12 (+1)|14 (+2)| >___ > - **Skills** Athletics +8, Arcana +11 > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren't silvered > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 10 (5,900 XP) > ___ > ***Vile Soul.*** All damage a vilewight deals is vile damage. > > ***Leech.*** Whenever the vilewight deals necrotic damage, it regains a number of hit points equal to the damage done. > > ***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the vilewight has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. > > ***Create Wight.*** A humanoid slain by the vilewight rises 1d4 rounds later as a wight under the vilewight’s control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. The vilewight can have no more than seven wights under its control at one time. > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The vilewight makes two claw attacks, a bite attack, and a flurry of tendril bites attack. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 16.) Until the grapple ends, the vilewight can't use this claw on another target. The vilewight has two claws. > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 9 (1d10 + 4) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. > > ***Flurry of Tendril Bites.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 14 (4d4 + 4) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or contract Life Blindness. > > ***Dark Channel (Recharge 4, 5, or 6).*** The vilewight channels the negative energy infusing it into a line of cold, black energy 10 feet wide and 60 feet long. Everyone in the area takes 45 (10d8) points of necrotic damage, or half on a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. Undead are instead healed for a like amount. ### Wight, Vilewight Vilewights are undead creatures, the remains of those that delved too far and too long into the black arts. They resemble wights—eyes burning with malevolence, teeth like sharp, jagged needles, and leathery, desiccated flesh. The torso of a vilewight tears open when it rises from the dead, exposing dried, rubbery intestines. These guts function as limbs, snaking out of the wound as multiple tendrils. Each tendril ends in a vicious mouth dripping bile. These undead creatures haunt graveyards and necropolises, but they also can be found in ancient libraries and in hidden cellars beneath wizards’ guilds. Vilewights retain none of the abilities they had in life. > ##### Life Blindness > > For the first 24 hours, the infected victim feels like the world is becoming more bleak and empty. After 24 hours have passed, the victim loses all ability to perceive living creatures, even plants. All such beings are treated as invisible, silent, and odorless. This disease typically causes extreme loneliness and despair. \page
___ > ## Wormcaller >*Mediun undead (wormspawn), chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 17 (half plate) > - **Hit Points** 162 (19d8 + 76) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|13 (+1)|20 (+5)|18 (+4)|14 (+2)|22 (+6)|20 (+5)| >___ > - **Saves** Con +8, Wis +10 > - **Skills** Arcana +10, Perception +14, Religion +10 > - **Damage Immunities** cold, lightning, poison > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 24 > - **Languages** Abyssal, Flan (or a similar ancient language from your campaign) > - **Challenge** 10 (5,900 XP) > ___ > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The wormcaller has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The wormcaller’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring only its pixie dust as a component: > > At will: *animate dead, animate infectious zombie, command undead, desecrate, dispel magic, ghost light, hold person, Mabar's darkness, major image* > > 3/day: *animate dread warrior, black sand, create undead, dread blast, finger of agony, mass inflict wounds, necrotic skull bomb, rally of the damned, skull watch, touch of Vecna, wall of bones, wrack* > > 1/day: *necrotic curse, pact of return, revive undead, soul shackles, undeath after death, unfetter undead* > > > ### Actions > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage plus 28 (8d6) necrotic damage. > > ***Worm Healing.*** The wormcaller consumes a wormswarm within 5 feet of it. This heals the wormcaller of all damage and grants it the benefit of a panacea spell. The wormswarm is completely destroyed, but makes no move to defend itself from this consumption. ### Wormcaller The wormcallers are the lesser priests who helped Kyuss shift from mortal to god. \page
___ > ## Worm of Kyuss >*Tiny aberration (wormspawn), chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 6 > - **Hit Points** 1 (1d4 - 4) > - **Speed** 1 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|2 (-4)|2 (-4)|2 (-4)|2 (-4)|2 (-4)|2 (-4)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 6 > - **Languages** — > - **Challenge** 0 (10 XP) >___ > > ***Holy Water Vulnerability.*** Holy water damages the worm as if it were undead. > > ### Actions > > ***Attach.*** The kyuss worm tries to attach to one humanoid it shares a space with. That humanoid must make a DC 6 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the worm attaches to it. The worm can be killed normally or scraped off while on the creature's skin. Otherwise, the worm burrows under the target’s skin at the end of the target’s next turn, dealing l piercing damage to it. At the end of each of its turns thereafter, the target takes 7 (2d6) necrotic damage per worm infesting it (maximum of 10d6). A worm-infested target dies if it drops to 0 hit points, then rises 10 minutes later as a spawn of Kyuss. If a worm-infested creature is targeted by an effect that cures disease or removes a curse, all the worms infesting it wither away. ### Worm of Kyuss These little abominations are among the humblest of Kyuss's many minions, yet they can still be very deadly. However, they cannot survive for long apart from flesh to feed on, and so are only rarely found alone (and then usually through magical preservation). ### Wormswarm The green worms of Kyuss come in many sizes and forms, but all are but implements of his terrible will. Long has that will been turned to fulfilling an ancient prophecy, a prophecy of green wriggling death visited upon hundreds of living creatures. The instrument of this cataclysm, this Age of Worms, are the very creatures through which Kyuss works his malice. As these worms grow in size, they exist as solitary predators, but in their early stages of life, they band together by the thousands, cre- ating deadly swarms and consuming the enemies of the wormgod. Kyuss worms are vicious green worms with horrid sucker-like mouths and one simple urge-to destroy living creatures and raise them as further undead minions for Kyuss. ___ > ## Wormswarm >*Large swarm of Tiny aberrations (wormspawn), chaotic evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 > - **Hit Points** 1 (1d4 - 4) > - **Speed** 1 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|2 (-4)|22 (+6)|18 (+4)|2 (-4)|10 (+9)|8 (-1)| >___ > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 6 > - **Languages** — > - **Challenge** 10 (10 XP) >___ > > > ***Holy Water Vulnerability.*** Holy water damages the worm as if it were undead. > > ***Obey the Wormtouched.*** Although it is nearly mindless, a wormswarm unerringly understands and follows commands given by undead servants of Kyuss. > > ***Swarm.*** The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny worm. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. > > ### Actions > > ***Bites.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +10 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature in the swarm's space. *Hit:* The target is infested by 2d4 Kyuss worms. At the start of each of the target's turns, the target takes 2d6 necrotic damage per Kyuss worm infesting it. If a target infested by rot grubs ends its turn with 0 hit points, it dies and rises as a **zombie** in 1d4 hours. A humanoid creature with a level or CR of at least 11 instead rises as a **sword of Kyuss**. Any effect that cures disease kills all Kyuss worms infesting the target. \page
___ ___ > ## Acidwraith >*Large undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 > - **Hit Points** 136 (16d10 + 48) > - **Speed** swim 90 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|6 (-2)|21 (+5)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|21 (+5)| >___ > - **Saving Throws:** Dex +10, Con +8, Cha +10> - **Skills** Arcana +13, Perception +6, Stealth +15 > - **Damage Resistances** cold, fire; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered > - **Damage Immunities** acid, lightning, necrotic, poison, thunder > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16 > - **Languages** Common, Aquan > - **Challenge** 16 (5040 XP) > ___ > > ***Acidic Body.*** A creature that touches the acidwraith or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 ft. of it takes 6 (1d12) acid damage. > > ***Alchemical Supremacy.*** The acidwraith can create any potion with no cost in materials and half the time listed out of its own substance, if it has an alchemical laboratory available. > > ***Liquid Dependency.*** An acidwraith must remain in contact with a body of liquid at least as large as it. If it starts its turn not in contact with liquid, it suffers 11 (2d10) points of radiant damage. > > ***Corrupting Aura.*** All water within 10 feet of an acidwraith is quickly converted into acid. In a large body of water, this merely surrounds the acidwraith with diluted acid that inflicts 4 (1d8) points of acid damage to anything that tarts its turn within the area. Elementals primarily composed of water who are within 10 feet of an acidwraith take 27 (6d8) acid damage as their bodies are eaten away. Magic water (and non-water liquid such as blood and potions) is not affected by an acidwraith’s corrupting aura. > > ***Regeneration.*** The acidwraith regains 15 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least one hit point and is in contact with a body of liquid at least as large as it. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The acidwraith makes a bite attack and four tendril attacks. > > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +10 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage plus 13 (2d12) acid damage. > > ***Tendril.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +10 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. *Hit:* 13 (2d12) acid damage. *Miss:* 6 (1d12) acid damage. > > ***Acid Breath (Recharge 5–6).*** The acidwraith exhales acid in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 54 (12d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature hit by this blast must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it deals only half damage with weapon attacks that use Strength. At the end of each of the target’s turns, it can make a DC 18 Constituion saving throw. On a success, the effect ends. ### Wraith, Acidwraith The foul, toxic liquid bubbles and surges to noxious life, sliding up onto itself and quickly filling out into the form of a lumbering, draconic beast. The thing’s body is semi-translucent and gelatinous, and streamers of acid drip from its flanks to sizzle on the ground—some of these strands writhe and crack like whips. Its long neck ends in a disturbing tangle of skulls, some human, some draconic, and some something in between. This creature manifested when the soul of a marid genie merged with a specific combination of acids and magical alchemical fluids associated with dragons are mixed together. In many ways, the genie’s ghost has possessed this dangerous combination of chemicals, yet it is not technically a ghost. The creature’s head is the only really solid part of its body, a collection of skulls that shift between the draconic and the humanoid. These skulls are real bone manifested by the acidwraith’s presence; they constantly reform and rebuild as the thing’s acidic body eats them away. The acidwraith itself is incorporeal, yet much of is body consists of acidic, poisonous fluid. Close inspection reveals that the fluid constantly runs out of its body only to be reabsorbed from surrounding liquid. An acidwraith deprived of a constant source of liquid quickly grows powerless. Like all incorporeal creatures, an acidwraith can pass through solid objects. When it does so, its bony skulls and acidic body slough to the floor. As soon as the acidwraith emerges, its acidic body and skulls reform, as long as the creature is in a watery area. The acidwraith is quite intelligent, and its skill at alchemy is prodigious. Given resources and time, this creature could easily create many more similar manifestations of undead elementals bonded with the acidic leavings of black dragons. An acidwraith is the size of a large horse. Its liquid body weighs about 1,500 pounds. \page
___ ___ > ## Bane Wraith >*Medium undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 > - **Hit Points** 105 (14d8 + 42) > - **Speed** 0ft., fly 80 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|6 (-2)|18 (+4)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|18 (+4)| >___ > - **Skills** Deception +10, Intimidation +10 > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 7 (2,900 XP) > ___ > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The bane wraith can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the bane wraith has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The wraith's innate spellcasting ability is Charimsa (spell save DC 15). The wraith can innately cast *detect thoughts* and *disguise self* at will, requiring no material components. > > ***Empathetic Sense.*** When it enters 30 feet of any sentient being, the bane wraith automatically knows the name and appearance of every one of that individual's friends and loved ones. Furthermore, it gains a general sense of where the individual believes their loved ones are, though this information might not be accurate. Mind-blocking effects, such *mind blank*, protect against this effect. > > ### Actions > ***Life Drain.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one creature. *Hit* 26 (5d8 + 4) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. > > ***Create Wraith.*** The bane wraith targets a humanoid within 10 feet of it that has been dead for no longer than 1 minute and died violently. The target's spirit rises as a wraith in the space of its corpse or in the nearest unoccupied space, and physically resembles its former self. The wraith is under the bane wraith's control. The bane wraith can have no more than four wraiths under its control at one time. ### Wraith, Bane Wraith Created when an individual watches everyone he or she loves die, bane wraiths spread the suffering they endured to others. Anyone who angers a bane wraith (and these temperamental creatures are very easy to anger) will have his or her loved ones hunted down, killed, and turned into specters who serve the wraith. \page
___ > ## Dimensional Wraith >*Medium undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 105 (14d8 + 42) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 60ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|6 (-2)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|14 (+2)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Skills** Stealth +9 > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** force > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 7 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 7 (3,900 XP) > ___ > ***Blink.*** At the end of each of its turns, the dimensional wraith chooses if it will be on the Ethereal Plane or the Material Plane. Anyone it is grappling is taken with it. It is visible on the Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can’t affect or be affected by anything on the other plane. > > ***Dimensionally Shifted.*** The dimensional wraith is immune to all area of effect abilities (such as *fireball* or *hypnotic pattern*). It is affected normally by targeted abilities (such as *slow* or *scorching ray*). > > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The dimensional wraith can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The dimensional wraith attacks twice with its claws. If two claws hit the same target, the wraith rends the target, dealing an extra 2d8 force damage and the wraith is healed by the extra damage dealt. > > ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 12 (2d8 + 3) force damage, and the wraith regains hit points equal to the damage dealt. Instead of dealing damage, the wraith can grapple the target (escape DC 14). ### Wraith, Dimensional Wraith Created when a person dies halfway through a portal to the Ethereal, dimensional wraiths are strange creatures. They like to lurk in hiding on the Material, then dash out, grab a victim, and drag the victim to the ethereal, where the wraith shreds it with its claws. Unlike normal wraiths, dimensional wraiths cannot create specters. \page
___ ___ > ## Orb Wraith >*Huge undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 21 (spectral armor) > - **Hit Points** 315 (30d12 + 120) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|6 (-2)|20 (+5)|18 (+4)|18 (+4)|18 (+4)|22 (+6)| >___ > - **Skills** Arcana +16, Intimidation +12, Perception +10 > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 300 ft., passive Perception 20 > - **Languages** the languages all its pieces knew in life > - **Challenge** 20 (25,000 XP) > ___ > > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The wraith can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ***Negative Aura.*** All undead within 60 feet of the orb wraith (including it) are immune to being turned. > > ***Regeneration.*** The orb wraith regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the wraith takes radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the wraith’s next turn. > > ***Retributive Enervation.*** A creature that touches the orb wraith or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 ft. of it takes 18 (4d8) necrotic damage and must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. > > ***Spectral Armor.*** The orb wraith adds its Charisma to its Armor Class (included above). > > ***Sunlight Sensitivity.*** While in sunlight, the wraith has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The orb wraith’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 20, +12 to hit with spell attacks). The orb wraith can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > >At will: *bestow eternal curse, dispel magic, fear, harm* > > 3/day: *necrotic skull bomb, withering palm* > > 1/day: *avascular mass, touch of the graveborn* > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The orb wraith makes 2d4 life drain attacks. > > ***Life Drain.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 23 (4d8 + 5) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. > > ***Energy Drain (Recharge 5-6).*** The orb wraith targets one living creature within 120 feet of it. The creature must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. It takes 110 (20d10) necrotic damage on a failure, or half as much on a success, and its maximum hit points are reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage done. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. > > The orb wraith then can either heal a willing undead target (including itself) by that many hit points, or share that damage with another living target. The new target of damage must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. It takes the same damage the original target took on a failure, or half as much on a success. > > ***Create Wraith.*** The orb wraith targets a humanoid within 10 feet of it that has been dead for no longer than 1 minute and died violently. The target’s spirit rises as a wraith in the space of its corpse or in the nearest unoccupied space. The wraith is under the orb wraith’s control. The orb wraith can have no more than twelve wraiths under its control at one time. > > ***Consume Wraith.*** The orb wraith targets one wraith of any type within 10 feet of it. That wraith must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw (it can choose to fail if it wishes). On a failure, it is totally subsumed into the orb wraith, and the orb wraith gains as many hit dice as the victim creature had, up to a maximum of 60. When an orb wraith advances to 60 HD, it fissions into two 30 HD orb wraiths. ### Wraith, Orb An orb wraith is an undead monstrosity formed when six or more ordinary wraiths come together in an area of powerful negative energy. They are common on the Negative Energy Plane, but most natives of the Material Plane encounter them within localized areas of negative energy. An orb wraith looks like a vaguely humanoid mass of darkness. Different features—faces, limbs, and glowing red eyes—shift and surface within the creature at different times. Bolts of purple-black negative energy spark within its body, like lightning within a looming thundercloud. \page
___ > ## Voidwraith >*Medium undead, neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 > - **Hit Points** 82 (11d8 + 33) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|6 (-2)|19 (+4)|16 (+3)|8 (-1)|13 (+1)|16 (+3)| >___ > - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons > - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison, thunder > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** Auran > - **Challenge** 6 (2,300 XP) > ___ > ***Airless Aura.*** There is no air within 5 feet of the voidwraith. Creatures must hold their breath before approaching to avoid suffocating. If the voidwraith surprises a creature, that creature cannot hold its breath while surprised. > > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The voidwraith can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ### Actions > ***Steal Breath.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 22 (4d8 + 4) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or immediately start suffocating. ### Wraith, Voidwraith Although it is rare, sometimes an elemental becomes undead. An undead air elemental may become a voidwraith. The rules on suffocation are reprinted here. > ##### Suffocation > A creature can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to 1 + its Constitution modifier (minimum of 30 seconds). > > When a creature runs out of breath or is choking, it can survive for a number of rounds equal to its Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 round). At the start of its next turn, it drops to 0 hit points and is dying, and it can't regain hit points or be stabilized until it can breathe again. > > For example, a creature with a Constitution of 14 can hold its breath for 3 minutes. If it starts suffocating, it has 2 rounds to reach air before it drops to 0 hit points. \page
___ > ## Totem Zombie >*Medium undead, lawful neutral* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 (chain mail) > - **Hit Points** 34 (4d8+16) > - **Speed** 20 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|13 (+1)|8 (-1)|18 (+4)|7 (-2)|10 (+0)|5 (-3)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Con +6, Wis +2 > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak > - **Challenge** 1/2 (100 XP) > ___ > > ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead. > > ***Totem.*** The zombie has a specific totem in place of its head, granting it benefits as befits its totem. > > *Bear.* The spirit of the bear makes the zombie tough enough to stand up to any punishment. It has resistance to all damage except radiant damage. > > *Eagle.* The spirit of the eagle makes the zombie into a predator who can weave through the fray with ease. Other creatures have disadvantage on opportunity attack rolls against it, and it can use the Dash action as a bonus action. > > *Elk.* The spirit of the elk makes the zombie extraordinarily swift. Its walking speed increases by 40 feet. > > *Tiger.* The spirit of the tiger empowers the zombie's pounces. If the zombie moves at least 20 ft. straight toward a creature and then hits it with a melee attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the zombie can make one attack against it as a bonus action. > > *Wolf.* The spirit of the wolf makes the zombie a leader of hunters. Its allies have advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature within 5 feet of the zombie. > ### Actions > > ***Maul.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 8 (2d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage. > > ***Javelin.*** *Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack:* +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. *Hit:* 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage. ___ > ## True Strahd Zombie >*Medium undead, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 (chain mail) > - **Hit Points** 57 (6d8 + 30) > - **Speed** 20 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|18 (+4)|8 (-1)|21 (+5)|4 (-3)|10 (+0)|5 (-3)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Con +7, Wis +2 > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** poisoned > - **Senses** truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak > - **Challenge** 2 (450 XP) > ___ > > ***Magic Resistance.*** The true Strahd zombie has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects, and against Turn Undead. > > ***Relentless.*** When reduced to 0 hit points, the true Strahd zombie goes inactive. It heals 5 hit points at the start of each of its turns. When it has reached full hit points, it reanimates and attacks again. Radiant damage done to it is not healed in this way, and completely destroying the body as with a *disintegrate* spell also destroys it. If it is destroyed through Turn Undead, it cannot regenerate either. > > ***Undead Fortitude.*** If damage reduces the true strahd zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead. > > ### Actions > ***Multiattack.*** The true strahd zombie makes two slam attacks. > > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. There are many more types of zombies than those listed in the Monster Manual. ### Zombie, Totem Some tribal societies reanimate their dead to serve as guardians, replacing their heads with totems or crafting exquisite masks for them to wear. These zombies are honorbound to protect their living descendents. ### Zombie, True Strahd Zombie True Strahd zombies are one of Strahd von Zarovich's most fearsome creations. They cannot truly die except to powerful magic or divine providence, and consequently they seem unstoppable to the common folk. He keeps them in reserve for when he wishes to unleash a higher level of terror, and \page
## Miscellaneous Creatures ___ > ## Dire Maggot >*Small beast, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 39 (7d6 + 14) > - **Speed** 40ft., climb 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|13 (+1)|15 (+2)|15 (+2)|1 (-5)|10 (+0)|2 (-4)| >___ > - **Skills** Perception +2 > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** — > - **Challenge** 1 (200 XP) > ___ > ***Keen Smell.*** The dire maggot has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. > ### Actions > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. *Hit* 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of the dire maggot's next turn. ### Dire Maggot Dire maggots are not undead, but they have a connection to the unliving for their diet: corpses. ### Swarm of Leeches Leech swarms typically lie quiescent in stagnant pools, waiting for prey to come to them. While they are capable of surviving out of water, they will rarely stray more than 5 feet from the water's edge (though some leeches will cling to creatures after they leave the water). ___ > ## Swarm of Leeches >*Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 11 > - **Hit Points** 27 (5d8 + 5) > - **Speed** 5 ft., swim 10 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|2 (-4)|12 (+1)|12 (+1)|1 (-5)|2 (-4)|1 (-5)| >___ > - **Skills** Stealth +5 > - **Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, slashing > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned > - **Senses** tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 6 > - **Languages** — > - **Challenge** 1 (200 XP) > ___ > > ***Swarm.*** The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny leech. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. > > ***Anesthetic.*** Unlike other swarms, a leech swarm often goes unnoticed until it is too late. The victim of a leech swarm's attack must make a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check to notice the swarm's attack. > > ***Amphibious.*** The leeches can breathe air and water. > > ### Actions > ***Blood Drain.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +3 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature in the swarm's space. *Hit:* 10 (4d4) piercing damage, or 5 (2d4) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer, and the target has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws until the start of the swarm's next turn. \page
## NPCs ___ > ## Necropolitan Commoner >*Medium undead, any alignment* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 10 > - **Hit Points** 4 (1d8) > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|10 (+0)|10 (+0)|10 (+0)|10 (+0)|10 (+0)|10 (+0)| >___ > - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, poisoned > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Senses** passive Perception 10 > - **Languages** the languages it knew in life > - **Challenge** 0 (10 XP) > ___ > > ***Resist Control.*** The necropolitan has advantage on saving throws against spells that specifically control undead, such as *command undead* or *control undead*, as well as against being turned or rebuked. > > ### Actions > ***Club.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +2 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. ### Necropolitan Commoner Encountered in places where the Ritual of Crucimigration is known, necropolitan commoners live life much as they did in life, but their immunity to exhaustion allows them to work 24 hours a day. \page
# Appendix: Other Resources ## Recommended Reading If you only read two books from this list, make them Libris Mortis and the Complete Book of Necromancers. ### AD&D - **The Complete Book of Necromancers:** This is a veritable Necronomicon of necromancy. It has a ton of ideas, and it was invaluable in writing this document. It's available for purchase on DMsguild, and it's worth every penny. - **Van Richten's Guide to...:** Vampires, Ghosts, the Lich, and the Ancient Dead. Set in Ravenloft, so not all material will be applicable to your campaign. However, these books are chock-full of very interesting ideas for customizing monsters. If you want to run an adventure or even a campaign centering around one of these creatures, it's worth getting. - **The Ancient Tome of Dark Magic:** 234 pages of necromancy spells. Unlike most of the books listed here, this one was compiled by a devoted fan and released as a free PDF. - **Lords of Darkness:** This is a great book, but not necessary. It's a collection of 10 great adventures starring different undead, and some tips on roleplaying them. ### 3e - **Libris Mortis:** You knew this was coming. Libris Mortis is one of the best books about necromancy and the undead ever written. - **Hollowfaust: City of Necromancers:** A solid book, with some great flavor. - **[Tome of Necromancy](http://derpy.me/necromancy):** This homebrew sets up the rules as they should be, rather than how they are. *This book uses the Playing with Fire rules as its baseline.* - **Van Richten's Guide to the Walking Dead:** Another of the VRG series, this one is perfect for zombies. - **Slayer's Guide to the Undead:** This has some good discussion of undead physiology, and ideas for souping up "traditional" undead like skeletons and wights. - **Secret College of Necromancy:** A lot of everything. If it's content you're looking for, this is a good place to check. - **Encyclopedia Arcane: Necromancy, Beyond the Grave:** This one's alright. It has some cool ideas and flavor. - **Gar'Udok's Compleet Librum ov Necromantic Artes:** This is a must have. It has a brilliant backstory, and many of my favorite spells above were converted from this book. - **Sourcebook: Undead:** Another amazing one, this touches on just about - **Legends & Lairs: Necromantic Lore:** This is exclusively a book of monsters. It's worth checking out, at least. - **Heroes of Horror:** The book that the dread necromancer hails from, this one has a lot of very good ideas. ### 4e - **Open Grave:** In many ways, this is a redo of Libris Mortis. Still good, and has some things Libris Mortis doesn't, but overall it's not as good. ### 5e - **[Dark Arts Player's Companion](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Kr3ZKYy3Me0ZFOhOQAmKBZlB9JUauhW5/view):** Has a lot of good stuff, including some nice blood magic spells. - **Book of Lost Spells:** A book full of spells of various schools, including quite a few necromancy gems. - **[Book of Beautiful Horrors](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1L_O2j38Vo_s5S8Pb55K_vH7BIa7DAy_w):** A large collection of monsters, including numerous superb undead. ## Other Content I have created even more material than that listed above; however, it is not related to necromancy. Consequently, I have moved it to a document of its own, which you can find [here](http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/H1WT-_qTmX). Enjoy, and may the forces of night fear you!