Shade
Monster Junkie
Wraith-King
A warrior clad in ancient, ornate plate mail approaches. As it draws near, it becomes apparent that the armor is empty, save for two pinpoints of burning red light where its eyes should be. It draws forth a terrifying greatsword.
Wraith-kings are the result of an unholy pact between a powerful individual and an evil deity. The mortal believed he was gaining the gift of immortality, but the gift was twisted into an eternal existence of undeath. Their bodies have faded away within their ancient armor, leaving behind only pinpoints of baleful light where their eyes once were. Although wraith-kings are essentially incorporeal, they never leave their armor and thus function as corporeal creatures. Nearly all wraith-kings wear magical plate armor and wield powerful magic melee weapons.
Wraith-kings hate the living, constantly seeking to punish them for its own anguish and increase its ever-growing retinue of servile wraiths. Trickery and temptation using illusions are a favorite tactic of wraith-kings.
Although a wraith-king is extremely powerful, it cherishes its immortality and will retreat if a battle is going against it. It will, of course, hold a grudge and seek vengeance when a better opportunity presents itself.
Wraith-kings often ride nightmares or other powerful mounts when venturing forth from their tombs.
A wraith-king speaks Infernal and any languages it knew in life.
Creating A Wraith-King
"Wraith-king" is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). A wraith-king uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented humanoid or monstrous humanoid). Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice: Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.
Armor Class: A wraith-king gains a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma modifier.
Special Attacks: A wraith-king retains all special attacks of the base creature and gains the special attacks described below. The DC of the saving throw for any of its special attacks is equal to 10 + ½ wraith-king's HD + wraith-king's Cha modifier.
Constitution Drain (Su): Living creatures touched by a wraith-king take 1 point of Constitution drain. This ability can be channeled through its attacks with manufactured weapons as well. On each such successful attack, the wraith-king gains 5 temporary hit points.
Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid slain by a wraith-king becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the command of the wraith-king that created them and remain enslaved until its death. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.
At any given time a wraith-king may have enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this limit are created as free-willed wraiths. A wraith that is enslaved may create and enslave spawn of its own, so a wraith-king can control a number of lesser wraiths in this fashion. A wraith-king may voluntarily free an enslaved spawn in order to enslave a new spawn, but once freed, a spawn cannot be enslaved again.
Energy Drain Gaze (Su): Living creatures within 30 feet that meet the wraith-king's gaze must succeed on a Fortitude save or gain a negative level. For each negative level bestowed, the wraith-king gains 5 temporary hit points.
Fear Aura (Su): Wraith-kings are shrouded in a dreadful aura of death and evil. Creatures within a 60-foot radius that look at the wraith-king must succeed on a Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell from a sorcerer of the wraith-king's level. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same wraith-king's aura for 24 hours.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will--permanent image, programmed image; 1/day--mass charm monster. Caster level is equal to the wraith-king's Hit Dice. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Special Qualities: A wraith-king retains all special qualities of the base creature and gains the special qualities described below.
Damage Reduction (Su): A wraith-king has damage reduction 15/good. A wraith-king's natural weapons and any weapons it wields are treated as evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Eternal Undeath (Su): A wraith-king can only be restored to life by a cleric of the wraith-king's god. Any form of ressurrection magic cast by a follower of a another god always fails.
Immunities (Ex): Wraith-kings have immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph (though they can use polymorph effects on themselves), and mind-affecting attacks.
Incorporeal Defense (Su): Wraith-kings are corporeal, but are treated by spells and effects as if they were incorporeal.
Lifesense (Su): A wraith-king notices and locates living creatures within 60 feet, just as if it possessed the blindsight ability. It also senses the strength of their life force automatically, as if it had cast deathwatch.
Spell Resistance (Ex): A wraith-king has spell resistance equal to its Hit Dice + 14.
Turn Resistance (Ex): A wraith-king has +8 turn resistance.
Unnatural Aura (Su): Animals, whether wild or domesticated, can sense the unnatural presence of a wraith-king at a distance of 30 feet. They will not willingly approach nearer than that and panic if forced to do so; they remain panicked as long as they are within that range.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Dex +6, Int +6, Wis +6, Cha +6. As an undead creature, a wraith-king has no Constitution score.
Skills: Wraith-kings have a +8 racial bonus on Move Silently checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.
Feats: Wraith-kings gain Alertness and Improved Initiative as bonus feats.
Environment: Any, usually same as base creature.
Organization: Solitary, retinue (wraith-king plus 2-12 wraiths and 1 nightmare), or tomb (wraith-king plus 4-24 wraiths).
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +3.
Treasure: Double standard.
Alignment: Always lawful evil.
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +8.
Sample Wraith-King
Wraith-King, elven 5th-level fighter/5th-level wizard/5th-level eldritch knight
Medium Undead (Augmented Humanoid)
Hit Dice: 15d12 (97 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 20 ft. in mithral full plate (4 squares); base speed 30 ft.
Armor Class: 25 (+3 Dex, +10 +2 mithral full plate, +4 deflection), touch 15, flat-footed 24
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+18
Attack: +2 spell-storing greatsword +21 melee (1d8+13/17-20 plus 1 Con drain)
Full Attack: +2 spell-storing greatsword +21/+16 melee (1d8+13/17-20 plus 1 Con drain)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Constitution drain, create spawn, energy drain gaze (DC 21), fear aura (DC 21), spell-like abilities (CL 15th, DC 14 + spell level), spells
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 15/good, darkvision 60 ft., eternal undeath, immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph, and mind-affecting attacks, incorporeal defense, lifesense 60 ft., low-light vision, spell resistance 29, summon familiar, +8 turn resistance, undead traits, unnatural aura
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +8
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 18, Con -, Int 22, Wis 14, Cha 19
Skills: Concentration +14, Diplomacy +8, Handle Animal +12, Intimidate +12, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +11, Listen +6, Move Silently +10, Ride +19, Search +8, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +18, Spot +6 (includes -2 armor check penalty)
Feats: Alertness (B), Cleave, Great Cleave, Greater Spell Focus (necromancy), Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved Initiative (B), Power Attack, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll (B), Spell Focus (necromancy), Spell Penetration, Still Spell, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Specialization (greatsword)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, retinue (wraith-king plus 2-12 wraiths and 1 nightmare), or tomb (wraith-king plus 4-24 wraiths)
Challenge Rating: 18
Treasure: Double standard (includes +2 mithral full plate and +2 spell-storing greatsword)
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +8
Wizard Spells Prepared: (CL 9th; +16 ranged touch)
5th—quickened ray of enfeeblement, stilled bestow curse;
4th—stilled haste, stilled ray of exhaustion, stoneskin;
3rd—stilled ghoul touch, suggestion, tongues, vampiric touch;
2nd—blindness/deafness (x2), stilled magic missile, stilled ray of enfeeblement, stilled shocking grasp, stilled true strike;
1st—comprehend languages, feather fall, hold portal, stilled touch of fatigue, shield, ventriloquism;
0—detect magic, ghost sound, open/close, read magic.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #198 (1993).
A warrior clad in ancient, ornate plate mail approaches. As it draws near, it becomes apparent that the armor is empty, save for two pinpoints of burning red light where its eyes should be. It draws forth a terrifying greatsword.
Wraith-kings are the result of an unholy pact between a powerful individual and an evil deity. The mortal believed he was gaining the gift of immortality, but the gift was twisted into an eternal existence of undeath. Their bodies have faded away within their ancient armor, leaving behind only pinpoints of baleful light where their eyes once were. Although wraith-kings are essentially incorporeal, they never leave their armor and thus function as corporeal creatures. Nearly all wraith-kings wear magical plate armor and wield powerful magic melee weapons.
Wraith-kings hate the living, constantly seeking to punish them for its own anguish and increase its ever-growing retinue of servile wraiths. Trickery and temptation using illusions are a favorite tactic of wraith-kings.
Although a wraith-king is extremely powerful, it cherishes its immortality and will retreat if a battle is going against it. It will, of course, hold a grudge and seek vengeance when a better opportunity presents itself.
Wraith-kings often ride nightmares or other powerful mounts when venturing forth from their tombs.
A wraith-king speaks Infernal and any languages it knew in life.
Creating A Wraith-King
"Wraith-king" is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). A wraith-king uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented humanoid or monstrous humanoid). Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice: Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.
Armor Class: A wraith-king gains a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma modifier.
Special Attacks: A wraith-king retains all special attacks of the base creature and gains the special attacks described below. The DC of the saving throw for any of its special attacks is equal to 10 + ½ wraith-king's HD + wraith-king's Cha modifier.
Constitution Drain (Su): Living creatures touched by a wraith-king take 1 point of Constitution drain. This ability can be channeled through its attacks with manufactured weapons as well. On each such successful attack, the wraith-king gains 5 temporary hit points.
Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid slain by a wraith-king becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the command of the wraith-king that created them and remain enslaved until its death. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.
At any given time a wraith-king may have enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this limit are created as free-willed wraiths. A wraith that is enslaved may create and enslave spawn of its own, so a wraith-king can control a number of lesser wraiths in this fashion. A wraith-king may voluntarily free an enslaved spawn in order to enslave a new spawn, but once freed, a spawn cannot be enslaved again.
Energy Drain Gaze (Su): Living creatures within 30 feet that meet the wraith-king's gaze must succeed on a Fortitude save or gain a negative level. For each negative level bestowed, the wraith-king gains 5 temporary hit points.
Fear Aura (Su): Wraith-kings are shrouded in a dreadful aura of death and evil. Creatures within a 60-foot radius that look at the wraith-king must succeed on a Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell from a sorcerer of the wraith-king's level. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same wraith-king's aura for 24 hours.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will--permanent image, programmed image; 1/day--mass charm monster. Caster level is equal to the wraith-king's Hit Dice. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Special Qualities: A wraith-king retains all special qualities of the base creature and gains the special qualities described below.
Damage Reduction (Su): A wraith-king has damage reduction 15/good. A wraith-king's natural weapons and any weapons it wields are treated as evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Eternal Undeath (Su): A wraith-king can only be restored to life by a cleric of the wraith-king's god. Any form of ressurrection magic cast by a follower of a another god always fails.
Immunities (Ex): Wraith-kings have immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph (though they can use polymorph effects on themselves), and mind-affecting attacks.
Incorporeal Defense (Su): Wraith-kings are corporeal, but are treated by spells and effects as if they were incorporeal.
Lifesense (Su): A wraith-king notices and locates living creatures within 60 feet, just as if it possessed the blindsight ability. It also senses the strength of their life force automatically, as if it had cast deathwatch.
Spell Resistance (Ex): A wraith-king has spell resistance equal to its Hit Dice + 14.
Turn Resistance (Ex): A wraith-king has +8 turn resistance.
Unnatural Aura (Su): Animals, whether wild or domesticated, can sense the unnatural presence of a wraith-king at a distance of 30 feet. They will not willingly approach nearer than that and panic if forced to do so; they remain panicked as long as they are within that range.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Dex +6, Int +6, Wis +6, Cha +6. As an undead creature, a wraith-king has no Constitution score.
Skills: Wraith-kings have a +8 racial bonus on Move Silently checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.
Feats: Wraith-kings gain Alertness and Improved Initiative as bonus feats.
Environment: Any, usually same as base creature.
Organization: Solitary, retinue (wraith-king plus 2-12 wraiths and 1 nightmare), or tomb (wraith-king plus 4-24 wraiths).
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +3.
Treasure: Double standard.
Alignment: Always lawful evil.
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +8.
Sample Wraith-King
Wraith-King, elven 5th-level fighter/5th-level wizard/5th-level eldritch knight
Medium Undead (Augmented Humanoid)
Hit Dice: 15d12 (97 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 20 ft. in mithral full plate (4 squares); base speed 30 ft.
Armor Class: 25 (+3 Dex, +10 +2 mithral full plate, +4 deflection), touch 15, flat-footed 24
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+18
Attack: +2 spell-storing greatsword +21 melee (1d8+13/17-20 plus 1 Con drain)
Full Attack: +2 spell-storing greatsword +21/+16 melee (1d8+13/17-20 plus 1 Con drain)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Constitution drain, create spawn, energy drain gaze (DC 21), fear aura (DC 21), spell-like abilities (CL 15th, DC 14 + spell level), spells
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 15/good, darkvision 60 ft., eternal undeath, immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph, and mind-affecting attacks, incorporeal defense, lifesense 60 ft., low-light vision, spell resistance 29, summon familiar, +8 turn resistance, undead traits, unnatural aura
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +8
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 18, Con -, Int 22, Wis 14, Cha 19
Skills: Concentration +14, Diplomacy +8, Handle Animal +12, Intimidate +12, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +11, Listen +6, Move Silently +10, Ride +19, Search +8, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +18, Spot +6 (includes -2 armor check penalty)
Feats: Alertness (B), Cleave, Great Cleave, Greater Spell Focus (necromancy), Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved Initiative (B), Power Attack, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll (B), Spell Focus (necromancy), Spell Penetration, Still Spell, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Specialization (greatsword)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, retinue (wraith-king plus 2-12 wraiths and 1 nightmare), or tomb (wraith-king plus 4-24 wraiths)
Challenge Rating: 18
Treasure: Double standard (includes +2 mithral full plate and +2 spell-storing greatsword)
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +8
Wizard Spells Prepared: (CL 9th; +16 ranged touch)
5th—quickened ray of enfeeblement, stilled bestow curse;
4th—stilled haste, stilled ray of exhaustion, stoneskin;
3rd—stilled ghoul touch, suggestion, tongues, vampiric touch;
2nd—blindness/deafness (x2), stilled magic missile, stilled ray of enfeeblement, stilled shocking grasp, stilled true strike;
1st—comprehend languages, feather fall, hold portal, stilled touch of fatigue, shield, ventriloquism;
0—detect magic, ghost sound, open/close, read magic.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #198 (1993).
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