theelkspeaks
First Post
First time trying to brew an original monster (as opposed to modding an existing monster) and want some feedback on it! Aiming for CR 6-7 here. This monster might be surrounded by some corpses when players discover it, as well as other mooks or other zombies that feed into its signature abilities, and it provides something a little nastier than your average undead.
Zombie Recruiter
A Zombie Recuiter is created when a necromancer channels extremely powerful ritual magic into the bodies of several freshly killed beings until they merge and the creature overflows with necromantic energy. It looks like an undead humanoid with an extremely strong smell of rotting flesh whose parts seem oddly mismatched and enlarged, but walks or runs on all fours and has long sharpened claws on each limb. It stands 12-16 feet high.
AC 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points - 180
Speed - 45 ft
STR - 20, DEX - 10, CON - 16, INT - 10, WIS - 6, CHA - 6
Undead Fortitude (as standard)
Condition Immunities - charmed, frightened, poisoned
Actions:
A zombie recruiter can attempt to take up to three actions each turn - one bite attack and one attack with each claw. It may forego one of these attacks to use its "recruit" action.
Bite: +8 to hit, one target. Hit: 2d6+5 piercing damage
Claw: +8 to hit, one target. Hit 2d8+5 slashing damage. The target must make a CON save (DC 13) or take an additional 1d6 of damage at the start of their next turn due to bleeding.
Recruit: The zombie recruiter attempts to recruit up to 2 corpses visible to it in a single straight line at a distance of up to 60 feet using a flow of its excess necromantic energy. Recruited corpses move equal to their movement, make a melee or ranged (non-spell) attack on any target within range, and immediately return to death. If the corpse takes any damage while temporarily animated, the body immediately falls apart and can no longer be used.
Final Surge: When a zombie recruiter is below 25% health, it will become frenzied and enraged and begin trying to take in power from the surrounding corpses rather than reanimating them. It no longer has access to the recruit action. Instead, the recruiter can magically absorb all energy from a nearby corpse (within 60 feet) to deal an additional +2 damage on any attack. When it does so, those corpses are annihilated and can no longer be used.
Zombie Recruiter
A Zombie Recuiter is created when a necromancer channels extremely powerful ritual magic into the bodies of several freshly killed beings until they merge and the creature overflows with necromantic energy. It looks like an undead humanoid with an extremely strong smell of rotting flesh whose parts seem oddly mismatched and enlarged, but walks or runs on all fours and has long sharpened claws on each limb. It stands 12-16 feet high.
AC 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points - 180
Speed - 45 ft
STR - 20, DEX - 10, CON - 16, INT - 10, WIS - 6, CHA - 6
Undead Fortitude (as standard)
Condition Immunities - charmed, frightened, poisoned
Actions:
A zombie recruiter can attempt to take up to three actions each turn - one bite attack and one attack with each claw. It may forego one of these attacks to use its "recruit" action.
Bite: +8 to hit, one target. Hit: 2d6+5 piercing damage
Claw: +8 to hit, one target. Hit 2d8+5 slashing damage. The target must make a CON save (DC 13) or take an additional 1d6 of damage at the start of their next turn due to bleeding.
Recruit: The zombie recruiter attempts to recruit up to 2 corpses visible to it in a single straight line at a distance of up to 60 feet using a flow of its excess necromantic energy. Recruited corpses move equal to their movement, make a melee or ranged (non-spell) attack on any target within range, and immediately return to death. If the corpse takes any damage while temporarily animated, the body immediately falls apart and can no longer be used.
Final Surge: When a zombie recruiter is below 25% health, it will become frenzied and enraged and begin trying to take in power from the surrounding corpses rather than reanimating them. It no longer has access to the recruit action. Instead, the recruiter can magically absorb all energy from a nearby corpse (within 60 feet) to deal an additional +2 damage on any attack. When it does so, those corpses are annihilated and can no longer be used.
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