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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8770515" data-attributes="member: 6915329">Aaand back to more monster variations. The next undead are variants on the basic skeleton or skeleton champion—but they can also be used with the immortal skeleton from the upcoming Dungeon Delver’s Guide, since we were given a hint of them back in early August. (Funnily enough, a version of that monster is also written up in this article under the name “dry bones,” named after the song Dem Dry Bones and inspired by the famous Silly Symphonies’ cartoon “The Skeleton Dance”). Anyhoo, what we have today are the gem eyes and the shock bones.Because “skeleton” is already a template and there are multiple types of skeletons anyway, I’m not including the CR for this. Assume a basic skeleton becomes CR 1/2, however.As a note, the actual text of the gem eyes implies that the gemstone eyes remain intact once the skeleton is destroyed. However, these are very low-CR creatures that carry not one but two gems that can be worth thousands of gp each. Feel free to have the gemstones crumble to dust or break into less-valuable stones.Skeleton VariantsThe Ungrateful Dead, Dragon Magazine #138Created by Tom MoldvayGem EyesThese skeletons have enchanted gemstones placed in their eye sockets. The skeleton must have both gemstones intact for the magic to work.A gem eyes has the following new action:Innate Spellcasting (3/Day). The skeleton can cast one of the following spells (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks; spells require no components and do not require concentration), determined by the type of gemstones it has in its eyes:• Amethyst Eyes: Silent Image (Concentration). The illusion is pre-determined by the caster.• Diamond Eyes: Haste (Concentration). The skeleton can only cast this on itself. For 1 minute, the skeleton’s Speed is doubled, it gains +2 to its AC, has advantage on Dexterity saving throws, and gains one additional action each turn that can be used to take the Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action. The skeleton does not get tired when the spell ends.• Obsidian Eyes: Darkness (Concentration). For 10 minutes, a 15-foot-radius sphere is filled with magical darkness. The obsidian gem-eyes’ darkvision can see through magical darkness.• Opal Eyes: Mirror Image (Concentration). For 1 minute, three illusory copies of the skeleton appear and mimic its actions. Each time the skeleton is targeted, the Narrator will roll a d20. With 3 copies, a roll of 6 or higher means that a copy is targeted; with 2 copies, a roll of 8 or higher targets a copy; with 1 copy, a roll of 11 or higher targets the copy. The copy has AC 12 (skeleton), 13 (skeletal champion or skeletal immortal) and will be destroyed after one hit.• Pearl Eyes: Sleep (affects 6d10 hit points worth of creatures). Affected targets fall unconscious for 1 minute or until they take damage or another creature uses an action to physically wake them.• Ruby Eyes: Burning Hands. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) fire damage on a failed save or half as much on a success. Flammable unattended objects catch fire.• Sapphire Eyes: Enhance Abilities (Concentration). The skeleton will only cast this on an ally, not on itself, and only when commanded to. For 1 hour, the target has advantage on checks made with one attribute, determined when the spell is cast.• Emerald Eyes: Ray of Enfeeblement (Concentration). A target up to 60 feet away must make a Strength saving throw or be weakened for 1 minute and only deals half damage with weapon attacks that use Strength. The target may make a new saving throw at the end each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.Shock BonesThese skeletons were brought to unlife more by scientific means than by magic. Electricity courses through their bones. Not a few artificers of dubious morality use these undead to guard their laboratories.A shock bones is immune to lightning damage. Its melee weapon attacks inflict an additional 5 (1d10) lightning damage on a successful hit, and it has the following new traits:Aura of Electricity. A creature that touches the skeleton or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 5 (1d10) lightning damage, or 9 (2d8) lightning damage if it is wearing metal armor or used a metal weapon. The shock bones sheds bright light to 10 feet and dim light for a further 10 feet.</blockquote>

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