Level Up (A5E) A Leveled-Up Bestiary: Volume Two

[W'rkncacnter]

two things about analyze - first, what's the insight check against? passive deception? maneuver dc?

second, the captain should have analyze as an action, not a bonus action, since it's only cr 3.

 

[Faolyn]

This next template is a combination of two other templates: the blightspawned and the corrupted creature. I’m calling it the blighted. The blightspawned were the creations of the “Rotting Man,” a half-fiend druid (from the Realms, somewhere called Dunwood?), while corrupted creatures simply pop up wherever there’s too much evil. They’re similar enough in both concept and stats that they don’t really need to be separate templates. That was a problem with a lot of the things from 3e. I may be creating tons of monsters, but I’m still trying to reduce the bloat.

Blighted (Template)
Sources: Unapproachable East and Book of Vile Darkness; Designers: Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds, Monte Cook

When evil goes unchecked for too long, the natural world begins to suffer. Animals, plants, even people begin to change into something twisted and corrupt. Fiendish outposts, the presence of evil forgotten gods, even the experimentation of evil magic-users or the tortures performed by an evil kingdom may be enough to warp the break the around it, and the blighted may arise.

Warped By Evil. The blighted are hideous and misshapen. They are discolored and mangy and covered in weeping, fly-infested boils, ulcers, warts and stranger growths, and sometimes even patches of raw musculature where the flesh has rotted away. Their teeth have become overgrown, and they reek foully. They aren’t undead, though, but undead trail in their wake. Their bite spreads disease; many who catch this disease turn into a blighted themselves, and those who die from it often rise again as undead.

Legends and Lore
With an Arcana check, the characters can learn the following:

DC 15. The blighted are immune to the effects of poison. It spreads its disease with its bite, but many creatures who are infected die and rise as undead.

DC 20. The presence of large amounts of supernatural evil twists the world around it and causes a foul magical disease to arise. This disease turns normal creatures into rotting, tumorous monsters that can heal from nearly any wound.

Signs
1. Diseased plant life
2. A corpse with withered, black-edged wounds
3. Pools of water tainted with poison
4. Misaligned footprints

Behavior
1. Attacks on sight
2. Pacing restlessly, in pain as new tumors erupt on it
3. A group of blighted, “playing” with a victim before killing it
4. Following a wounded victim

--

“Blighted” is a template that can be added to any corporeal aberration, beast, dragon, elemental, fey, giant, humanoid, or monstrosity.

Type. The blighted is an aberration. It loses any other tags.

Resistances. The blighted creature is resistant to acid damage.

Immunities. The blighted is immune to poison damage and the poisoned conditions.

Attributes. The blighted Wisdom and Charisma are both reduced by 2.

Armor Class. The blighted’s AC increases by 4.

Aligned. The blighted radiates an aura of Evil.

Altered Action: Multiattack. The blighted creature can make a bite attack in addition to any other attacks it already has. If it already has Multiattack that grants it a bite attack, do not add a second bite. If it didn’t already have a bite attack, it gains one that does piercing damage depending on its size:

Tiny: 2 (1d4) piercing damage
Small or Medium: 3 (1d6) piercing damage
Large: 7 (2d6) piercing damage
Huge: 10 (3d6) piercing damage
Gargantuan: 18 (4d8) piercing damage

Altered Attack. The blighted’s natural melee weapon attacks (including its bite attack) inflict additional necrotic damage depending on the base creature’s CR:

CR 4 or lower: 2 (1d4) necrotic damage
CR 5 – 16: 5 (2d4) necrotic damage
CR 17 – 22: 7 (2d6) necrotic damage
CR 23 or higher: 10 (3d6) necrotic damage

Action: Bite. The blighted makes a bite attack. A creature who takes damage from the blighted’s bite must make a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + the corrupted creature’s PB + the corrupted creature’s Constitution modifier) or contract a disease: black blood.

Regeneration. The blighted regains 5 hit points at the start of each of its turns as long as it has at least 1 hit point. If the base creature’s CR 1as 10 or higher, this increases to 10 hit points.

Disease: Black Blood
While infected with black blood, the creature’s flesh begins to slowly rot away or boil up into cancerous growths. While diseased, the creature can’t heal through mundane means, and magical healing only restores half as much damage. Each time it takes damage, the creature is stunned until the end of its next turn and takes 2 (1d4) ongoing damage from blood loss, and its hit point maximum is reduced by 2 (1d4). A creature may use its action to make a DC 15 Medicine check to stop the ongoing damage, and magical healing of any sort will also stop the ongoing damage but will only restore 1 hit point.

If the creature’s hit point maximum drops to 0, the creature dies and rises in 1d4 hours as a zombie or ghoul.

The first time an infected creature is bloodied, it must make a new Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it falls unconscious for 1d4 hours and can’t be awakened unless targeted by lesser restoration or a similar effect. At the end of the hour, it awakens as a blighted creature.

--

The following uses an ettercap as the base creature.

Blighted Ettercap
Medium aberration; Challenge 2 (XP)
AC 17 (natural armor)
HP 44 (8d8+8; bloodied 22)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR 14 (+2) DEX 16 (+3) CON 13 (+1)
INT 8 (-1) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 6 (-2)

Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 13
Saving Throws Dex +5
Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5, Survival +3
Damage Resistances acid
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Ettercap

Evil. The blighted ettercap radiates an aura of evil.

Speak with Spiders. The blighted ettercap can communicate with spiders that can hear it or that are touching the same web.

Spider Climb. The blighted ettercap can use its climb speed even on difficult surfaces and upside down on ceilings.

Web Sense. While touching a web, the blighted ettercap knows the location of other creatures touching that web.

Regeneration. The blighted Ettercap regains 5 hit points at the start of each of its turns as long as it has at least 1 hit point.

Web Walker. The blighted ettercap ignores movement restrictions imposed by webs.

Actions
Multiattack. The blighted ettercap attacks with its bite and claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison damage plus 2 (1d4) necrotic damage, and the target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or contract a disease: black blood.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4+3) slashing damage plus 2 (1d4) necrotic damage.

Strangle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Medium or smaller creature against which the blighted ettercap has advantage on the attack roll. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) bludgeoning damage plus 2 (1d4) necrotic damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the blighted ettercap automatically hits the target with its strangle attack, and the target can’t breathe.

Bonus Actions
Web (Recharge 5–6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one Large or smaller creature. Hit: The creature is restrained by webs. As an action, a creature can make a DC 11 Strength check, breaking the webs on a success. The effect also ends if the webs are destroyed. They have AC 10, 1 hit point, and immunity to all damage except slashing, fire, and force.

 

[Faolyn]

To go with the anarchic and axiomatic creatures, we now have the angelic creature. This is actually going to be a blend of two different templates: the celestial creature and the half-celestial. While there are differences between the two, I don’t think that they’re that important in Level Up—back in 3x, the celestial creature was, I believe, primarily there as something you would summon with one of those monster summoning spells, and that’s obviously not how those spells work in Level Up.

But I gotta ask. The half-celestial template says that there’s a “75% chance that a half-celestial has feathered wings.” Honestly, if the PCs encountered one, were we supposed to roll to see if this one could fly? Was is supposed to be just general guidelines? How did you guys use these percentage chances?

Angelic Creature
Source: Monster Manual; Designers: Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Willians

The heavenly planes are filled with good spirits. These beings aren’t angels, but are either the souls of the truly good dead or are actually manifestations of the plane itself; are actually the offspring of an angel and a mortal. Celestial creatures resemble mundane creatures, but usually have a beautiful, kindly, or regal mien and are often have metallic or opalescent coloration, or skin that seems to glow from within. Many also have feathered or butterfly-like wings.

--

“Angelic” is a template that can be added to any corporeal beast, dragon, giant, humanoid, monstrosity, ooze, or plant that does not have the Evil alignment.

Type. The angelic creature becomes a celestial.

Attributes. If the angelic creature’s Intelligence is 1 or 2, it becomes 3 (-4).

Resistances. The angelic creature is resistant to acid, cold, and lightning damage. If the base creature was CR 10 or higher, it is also resistant to damage from nonmagical weapons.

Senses. The angelic creature has darkvision to 60 feet. If the base creature already has darkvision, it increases by 60 ft.

Languages. The angelic creature knows Celestial.

Aligned. Most, but not all, angelic creatures radiate an aura of Good.

Action: Celestial Ability. The angelic creature gains one of the following abilities:

• Healing Touch (3/Day). The angelic creature touches a willing creature, which magically regains a number of hit points depending on the base creature’s CR plus its Wisdom modifier. It also removes either all diseases and neutralizes all poisons the target has, or removes the blinded and deafened conditions.

CR 4 or lower: 1d8
CR 5 – 16: 2d8
CR 17 – 22: 4d8
CR 23 or higher: 8d8

• Inspiring. The angelic creature chooses up to three creatures it can see within 30 feet of it. Until the end of the angelic creature’s next turn, each target can add a d4 expertise die to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes.

• Radiant Might (1/turn). When the angelic creature hits a creature with a weapon attack, it may choose to do radiant damage instead of the weapon’s normal type of damage. If the base creature is CR 10 or higher, it also inflicts an additional 2 dice of damage when it uses this ability.

Hale. The angelic creature has advantage on saving throws against poison damage and the poisoned condition, and against taking fatigue. It is also immune to nonmagical diseases, and has advantage on saving throws against magical diseases.

Innate Spellcasting. If the angelic creature’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores are 8 or higher, it gains the ability to cast spells. The angelic creature’s spellcasting trait is Charisma, unless it already has Innate Spellcasting that relies on another attribute. It can cast the following spells (depending on the base creature’s CR) without the need for material components, and it knows the spells of lower CRs as well:

CR 4 or lower: 1/day each: aid, detect evil and good
CR 5 – 16: 1/day each: dispel evil and good, protection from evil and good
CR 17 – 22: 1/day each: divine word, hallow
CR 23 or higher: 1/day each: holy aura, resurrection

Smite Evil. If the angelic creature scores a critical success against a creature with the Evil alignment, a fiend, or an undead with a melee weapon attack, it inflicts an additional two dice of damage. If the base creature is CR 10 or higher this increases to an additional four dice of damage.

Winged. Many, but not all, angelic creatures have wings, giving them a fly speed equal to twice their walking speed. If the base creature already has a fly speed, it increases to twice its walking speed, unless it's already faster.

--

The following uses a young silver dragon as the base creature

Angelic Dragon
Large celestial; Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
AC 18 (natural armor)
HP 157 (15d10+75; bloodied 78)
Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft.

STR 22 (+6) DEX 14 (+2) CON 20 (+5)
INT 14 (+2) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 18 (+4)

Proficiency +4; Maneuver DC 18
Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +9, Wis +4, Cha +8
Skills Arcana +6, History +6, Perception +5 (+1d6), Stealth +6
Damage Resistances acid, lightning; damage from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities cold
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 180 ft., passive Perception 17

Languages Celestial, Common, Draconic

Cloud Strider. The angelic dragon suffers no harmful effects from high altitudes.

Good. The angelic dragon radiates an aura of good.

Hale. The angelic dragon has advantage on saving throws against poison damage and the poisoned condition, and against taking fatigue. It is also immune to nonmagical diseases, and has advantage on saving throws against magical diseases.

Smite Evil. If the angelic creature scores a critical success against a creature with the Evil alignment, a fiend, or an undead with a melee weapon attack, it inflicts an additional four dice of damage.

Actions
Multiattack. The angelic dragon attacks with its bite and twice with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d10+6) damage plus 4 (1d8) cold damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8+6) slashing damage.

Breath Weapons (Recharge 5-6). The angelic dragon uses one of the following breath weapons:

• Frost Breath. The dragon exhales freezing wind in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 40 (9d8) cold damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a success.

• Paralyzing Breath. The dragon exhales paralytic gas in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of its next turn.

Inspiring. The angelic dragon chooses up to three creatures it can see within 30 feet of it. Until the end of the dragon’s next turn, each target can add a d4 expertise die to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes.

Innate Spellcasting. The angelic dragon’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast the following spells without the need for material components:

1/day each: aid, detect evil and good, dispel evil and good, protection from evil and good

 

[DarkRainbowFiend]

this leaves us with the evil and entirely neutral templates left.

 

[Faolyn]

this leaves us with the evil and entirely neutral templates left.

Fiendish is next! I haven't found any neutral templates yet--sadly, once Planescape stopped being published, it looks like D&D forgot that neutral can be as dynamic as any other alignment.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Fiendish is next! I haven't found any neutral templates yet--sadly, once Planescape stopped being published, it looks like D&D forgot that neutral can be as dynamic as any other alignment.

I often think that D&D lost at least a step in creative lore and worldbuilding once they stopped publishing Planescape. That was pretty much it for the campaign setting era I loved.

 

[DarkRainbowFiend]

I often think that D&D lost at least a step in creative lore and worldbuilding once they stopped publishing Planescape. That was pretty much it for the campaign setting era I loved.

Fiendish is next! I haven't found any neutral templates yet--sadly, once Planescape stopped being published, it looks like D&D forgot that neutral can be as dynamic as any other alignment.

granted, i would struggle with making a creature template for neutral specifically due to the absence of the other alignments.

 

[Faolyn]

granted, i would struggle with making a creature template for neutral specifically due to the absence of the other alignments.

I managed to come up with a couple of ideas while working on the planar dragons, but yeah, I'm having a hard time thinking of good ideas for a template.

Let me ignore the alphabet for a moment to bring you the fiendish creature, a combination of the fiendish creature and half-fiend templates. Once again, having two different templates isn't really necessary.

Fiendish Creature (Template)
Source: Monster Manual; Designers: Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Willians

There are creatures that live in the Evil planes that are not devils or demons, but are just as evil as them. Some of them are native creatures with a role similar to that of the animals and plants of the Waking World; some are damned souls that have been “elevated” to fiendish status; some were mortals who had been transformed by the planes’ evil radiation; and some are the offspring of a minor demon or devil and a mortal. In all cases, though, the evil of their native plane shines through. They resemble mortal creatures, but are clearly fiendish in nature. They often have barbs, spikes, or horns, forked tails and leathery wings, glowing eyes, and smell of sulfur or rot.

--

“Fiendish” is a template that can be added to any corporeal beast, dragon, giant, humanoid, monstrosity, ooze, or plant that does not have the Evil alignment.

Type. The fiendish creature becomes a fiend.

Attributes. If the fiendish creature’s Intelligence is 1 or 2, it becomes 3 (-4).

Resistances. The fiendish creature is resistant to acid, cold, fire, and necrotic damage. If the base creature was CR 10 or higher, it is also resistant to damage from nonmagical weapons.

Immunities. The fiendish creature is immune to poison damage and to the poisoned condition.

Senses. The fiendish creature has darkvision to 60 feet. If the base creature already has darkvision, it increases by 60 ft.

Languages. The fiendish creature knows either Abyssal or Infernal (or both).

Aligned. Most, but not all, fiendish creatures radiate an aura of Evil.

Action: Fiendish Ability. The fiendish creature gains one of the following abilities:

• Devour Life. Whenever a creature within 30 feet of the fiendish creature dies (or within 60 feet, if the base creature was CR 10 or higher), the fiendish creature 15 gains temporary hit points (or 20, if the base creature was CR 10 or higher).

• Diabolical Blow (1/turn). When the fiendish creature hits a creature with a weapon attack, it may choose to do acid, fire, or necrotic damage instead of the weapon’s normal type of damage (Narrator determines the damage type when making the creature). If the base creature is CR 10 or higher, it also inflicts an additional die of damage when it uses this ability.

• Hellsight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the fiendish creature’s darkvision.

• Stench. Any creature other than the fiendish creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the fiendish creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + the fiendish creature’s PB + the fiendish creature’s Constitution modifier) or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. If the base creature’s CR is 5 or higher, this affects creatures within 10 feet of the fiendish creatures.

• Action: Terrifying Glare (Gaze, Recharge 5-6). The fiendish creature targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it (or 60 feet, if the base creature is CR 10 or higher). That creature must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + the fiendish creature’s PB + the fiendish creature’s Charisma modifier). On a failed save, then until the end of the creature’s next turn, it is frightened and can’t regain hit points.

Innate Spellcasting. If the fiendish creature’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores are 8 or higher, it gains the ability to cast spells. The fiendish creature’s spellcasting trait is Charisma, unless it already has Innate Spellcasting that relies on another attribute. It can cast the following spells (depending on the base creature’s CR) without the need for material components, and it knows the spells of lower CRs as well:

CR 4 or lower: 1/day each: bane, darkness
CR 5 – 16: 1/day each: blight, stinking cloud
CR 17 – 22: 1/day each: contagion, eyebite
CR 23 or higher: 1/day each: raise hell, wall of flesh

Smite Good. If the fiendish creature scores a critical success against a creature with the Good alignment or a celestial with a melee weapon attack, it inflicts an additional two dice of damage. If the base creature is CR 10 or higher this increases to an additional four dice of damage.

Winged. Some, but not all, fiendish creatures have wings, giving them a fly speed equal to twice their walking speed.

--

The following uses an alpha werewolf as the base creature.

Hellwolf
Medium fiend (shapechanger); Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

AC 12
HP 104 (16d8+32; bloodied 52)
Speed 30 ft. (40 ft. in wolf form)

STR 14 (+2) DEX 14 (+2) CON 14 (+2)
INT 10 (+0) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 10 (+0)

Proficiency +3; Maneuver DC 13
Skills Perception +2 (+1d4), Stealth +4, Survival +2
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, necrotic
Damage Immunities poison; damage from nonmagical, non-silvered weapons
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 90 ft. (wolf or hybrid form only), passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Infernal

Devour Life. Whenever a creature within 30 feet of the hellwolf dies, the hellwolf 15 gains temporary hit points.

Evil. The hellwolf radiates an aura of Evil.

Innate Spellcasting. The hellwolf’s spellcasting trait is Charisma (spell save DC 11). It can innately cast the following spells without the need for material components:

1/day each: bane, blight, darkness, stinking cloud

Keen Hearing and Smell. The hellwolf has advantage on Perception checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Pack Tactics. The hellwolf has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the hellwolf’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and not incapacitated.

Wolfsbane. Lycanthropes are repelled by the wolfsbane flower. A lycanthrope in hybrid or beast form is poisoned while within 10 feet of a living or dried wolfsbane flower that it can smell. If wolfsbane is applied to a weapon or ammunition, lycanthropes are damaged by the weapon as if it were silver. An application of wolfsbane lasts for 1 hour.

Smite Good. If the hellwolf scores a critical success against a creature with the Good alignment or a celestial with a melee weapon attack, it inflicts an additional two dice of damage.

Actions
Multiattack. The hellwolf makes two melee attacks, only one of which can be with its bite.

Greatclub (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) bludgeoning damage.

Claw (Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage, and the target’s 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 its hit point maximum is reduced to 0.

Bite (Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage, and the target’s 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 its hit point maximum is reduced to 0. If the target is a humanoid, it makes a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is cursed with werewolf lycanthropy.

Bonus Actions
Shapeshift. The hellwolf changes its form to a wolf, a wolf-humanoid hybrid, or into its true form, which is a humanoid. While shapeshifted, its statistics are unchanged. It can’t speak in wolf form. Its equipment is not transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.

Frenzied Bite (While Bloodied, Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). The hellwolf makes a bite attack.

 

[DarkRainbowFiend]

• Diabolical Blow (1/turn). When the angelic creature hits a creature with a weapon attack, it may choose to do acid, fire, or necrotic damage instead of the weapon’s normal type of damage (Narrator determines the damage type when making the creature). If the base creature is CR 10 or higher, it also inflicts an additional die of damage when it uses this ability.

i feel like there might be an error here not going to lie. Maybe a lazy copy-paste?

 

[Faolyn]

Now for another undead template from Dragon. This is the ghost brute, the “spectral remains of creatures without the sense of self needed to become normal ghosts.” (I wish it had a better name.) The template is strongly suggests that it’s something that animals and creatures of similar mentality can become a ghost brute, but it’s written that it’s for any creature with a Charisma score of 8 or lower—meaning that ogres or hill giants (in 3x) wouldn’t be able to become a proper ghost and would be limited to a ghost brute. I gotta say, that feels a bit weird to me. Like, they can speak and have societies, but they don’t become ghosts? Meh. I’m altering it.

Ghost Brute (Template)
The Risen Dead, Dragon Magazine #300
Creature by Wizards of the Coast R&D

When sapient creatures die traumatically or with unfinished business, their souls may linger on as a ghost. Animals and sentient plants, who tend to lack a strong sense of self-identity, rarely become ghosts; on occasion, though, they do become the type of spectral undead known as the ghost brute.

Ghost by Association. The most common reason for a creature to become a ghost brute is because they died at the same time as a person they are close to, and that person became a ghost. A herald’s mount, a beloved pet, or a dryad’s tree might all awaken in this newly-undead form. These ghost brutes stick close to their true-ghost companions, following them in death as they did in life. Often, putting their person’s ghost to rest will allow the ghost brute to pass on at the same time. But sometimes, these ghost brutes arise even if their person didn’t become a ghost. They lurk around their person’s gravesite, guarding it from harm, or remain near their person’s home, as if waiting for them to return. These ghost brutes—usually harmless unless disturbed—linger on, no matter how many attempts are made to show them that their person is dead.

Ghosts by Routine. Other ghost brutes arise from creatures that had a strong routine and were slain while performing it. A dog that always guarded their house at night and was slain by a burglar is likely to continue its guard. A horse that was ridden every week from their farm to the market before it and its rider met an untimely fate in a terrible storm may continue that trip, appearing every week and making the long trek into town. Unlike human ghosts who can be put to rest by finishing their business for them, these ghosts

Ghosts by Trauma. And still other ghost brutes arise because of a traumatic death, much like how many humanoid ghosts arise. Animals that were slain for sport or were brutalized by sadists commonly arise as ghost brutes, and a raging forest fire may several ghostly trees to arise in its wake.

Legends and Lore
With an Arcana check, the characters can learn the following:

DC 10. Ghost brutes are the spirits of animals and plants. They are frequently found together with other ghosts.

DC 15. Like other ghosts, ghost brutes can’t be harmed by normal weapons. Magic is needed to harm them, and they can only rarely be put to rest by completing their unfinished business.

DC 20. Ghost brutes can make terrifying cries that can rattle a listener to their core, and they can make themselves many times larger.

Signs
1. A mournful, animalistic howl in the distance
2. Pawprints or hoofprints that appear, as if an invisible animal is walking by
3. Mist obscures the ground
4. Living animals become restless

Behavior
1. Engaging in normal behavior for a creature of its type
2. Guarding a gravesite
3. Running a partial circuit of an area and then disappearing
4. Believes itself to be in danger and attacks.

--

“Ghost brute” is a template that can be added on any beast, monstrosity, or plant that has an Intelligence and Charisma score of 7 or lower and can’t speak a language. It regains all of the statistics of the base creature except as noted below.

Type. The ghost brute’s type changes to undead. It loses any other tags it had.

Speed. The ghost brute gains a fly speed equal to its walking speed, but loses its walking speed.

Attributes. The ghost brute’s Strength becomes 4 (-3), unless it was already lower, and its Charisma score becomes 14 (+2)

Resistances. The ghost brute is resistant to acid, fire, lightning, and thunder damage, and to damage from nonmagical weapons.

Immunities. The ghost brute is immune to cold, necrotic, and poison damage, and to the charmed, fatigue, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, and restrained conditions.

Senses. If the base creature didn’t have darkvision, then it gains darkvision to 60 feet.

Altered Attacks. The ghost brute’s weapon attacks inflict necrotic damage.

Action: Bloodcurdling Howl (Recharge 6). The ghost brute emits a mournful howl that chills the living to the core. All creatures that are not aberrations, celestials, elementals, fiends, or undead within 300 feet of the ghost brute must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be rattled for 1 minute. A target that succeeds on its saving throw is immune to the Bloodcurdling Howl of all ghost brutes for 24 hours.

Ethereal Sight. The ghost brute can see into both the Material and Ethereal Plane.

Insubstantial. The ghost brute can’t pick up or move objects or creatures, and it loses all physical attacks, although it retains any attacks that inflict non-physical damage. It can move through objects and creatures. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Bonus Action: Loom. The ghost brute increases its size by two size categories. While enlarged, it inflicts two additional dice of damage, and other creatures have disadvantage on saving throws against its Bloodcurdling Howl.

Undead Nature. A ghost brute doesn’t require air, sustenance, or sleep.

Unquiet Spirit. If defeated in combat, the ghost brute returns in 24 hours. It can by put to rest permanently only by finding an casting remove curse on its remains or by permanently putting to rest the true ghost it is tied to.

--

The following uses a mastiff as the base creature:

Ghostly Guard Dog
Medium undead; Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
AC 12
HP 9 (2d8+4)
Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft.

STR 4 (-3) DEX 14 (+2) CON 10 (+0)
INT 3 (-4) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 14 (+2)

Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 12
Skills Perception +3
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; damage from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, fatigue, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages —

Ethereal Sight. The ghostly guard dog can see into both the Material and Ethereal Plane.

Insubstantial. The ghostly guard dog can’t pick up or move objects or creatures, and it loses all physical attacks, although it retains any attacks that inflict non-physical damage. It can move through objects and creatures. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Undead Nature. A ghostly guard dog doesn’t require air, sustenance, or sleep.

Unquiet Spirit. If defeated in combat, the ghostly guard dog returns in 24 hours. It can by put to rest permanently only by finding an casting remove curse on its remains, by resolving the unfinished business that keeps it from journeying to the afterlife, or by permanently putting to rest the true ghost it is tied to.

Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) necrotic damage (3d4+2 damage when using Loom). If the target is a creature, it must make a DC 12 Strength saving throw, falling prone on a failure.

Bloodcurdling Howl (Recharge 6). The ghostly guard dog emits a mournful howl that chills the living to the core. All living creatures (creatures that are not celestials, elementals, fiends, or undead) within 300 feet of the ghostly guard dog must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be rattled for 1 minute. A target that succeeds on its saving throw is immune to the Bloodcurdling Howl of all ghost brutes for 24 hours.

Bonus Actions
Loom (Recharge 5-6). The ghostly guard dog increases its size to Huge until the end of its next turn. While enlarged, other creatures have disadvantage on saving throws against its Bloodcurdling Howl.