D&D 5E New Undead - The Husk

[Jimbro]

So I created a new undead called the husk. It's basically the opposite of a skeleton (an animated pile of flesh and muscle that has no bones). It can smother and slam. Take a look and let me know what your thoughts are.

I wanted more mid-level undead for my game. There's a gap in the MM (undead jump from CR 5 to 13 with nothing in-between). I'm also using Volo's and TOB, but this is going to be a heavy undead game so I want more!

Stats in the link and the attachment.

https://worldbuilderblog.me/2017/02/02/the-husk/

View attachment Husks.pdf

 

[Gardens & Goblins]

Me likey! And they are utterly disgusting

• Wouldn't bother stating ''bludgeoning damage as a result of falling.''. Seems an incredibly specific circumstance to bother including. Maybe leave it to a DM's ruling?

• Think there's a missing a word: ''Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, blinded, and at risk of suffocating, and the husk can’t smother (word missing - 'another'?) target.''

• Few things I'd clean up in the description but they're minor (fragmented sentences, use of 'two-for-one', etc) but really, it's your style so hey hey - aok

Thank you for sharing your utterly disgusting monster!!

 

[Storyteller Hero]

Came to this thread looking forward to seeing an undead corn-based monster.

Leaving unsatisfied, with a powerful craving for butter.

 

[Quickleaf]

So I created a new undead called the husk. It's basically the opposite of a skeleton (an animated pile of flesh and muscle that has no bones). It can smother and slam. Take a look and let me know what your thoughts are.

I wanted more mid-level undead for my game. There's a gap in the MM (undead jump from CR 5 to 13 with nothing in-between). I'm also using Volo's and TOB, but this is going to be a heavy undead game so I want more!

Stats in the link and the attachment.

https://worldbuilderblog.me/2017/02/02/the-husk/

View attachment 80731

Looks suitably horrific, Jim!

One thing I should point out is that 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).

So being "at risk of suffocating" probably isn't going to come into play realistically given the shortness of 5e combats.

What I did with my adaptation of a drowner (a watery undead from the Witcher setting) was give them an attack against a grabbed creature underwater that expelled all remaining air left in the target's lungs. That should create some good urgency (have yet to run drowners in an aquatic environment however).

Btw, I've converted a few undead for my Brotherhood of True Flame project – would an effigy (CR 12), cinderhaunt (CR 8ish), or blazing skeleton (CR 6) be something useful for your game?

 

[closterphobia]

Looks great, I love that you've accounted for a range of CR. I look forward to springing these on my unsuspecting players.

 

[Jimbro]

Looks suitably horrific, Jim!

One thing I should point out is that 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).

So being "at risk of suffocating" probably isn't going to come into play realistically given the shortness of 5e combats.

What I did with my adaptation of a drowner (a watery undead from the Witcher setting) was give them an attack against a grabbed creature underwater that expelled all remaining air left in the target's lungs. That should create some good urgency (have yet to run drowners in an aquatic environment however).

Btw, I've converted a few undead for my Brotherhood of True Flame project – would an effigy (CR 12), cinderhaunt (CR 8ish), or blazing skeleton (CR 6) be something useful for your game?

Thanks for the feedback to you and everyone. This is worth its weight in gold for sure. I'd love to checkout your creatures, Quickleaf. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Tinker-TDC]

Looks suitably horrific, Jim!

One thing I should point out is that 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).

So being "at risk of suffocating" probably isn't going to come into play realistically given the shortness of 5e combats.

Perhaps a concentration save with a DC equal to the damage takes while being smothered? Representative of the effort required to hold your breath while being hit in combat?

That's how I'd run it assuming you want suffocation to be a risk.

 

[Quickleaf]

[MENTION=6802653]Tinker-TDC[/MENTION] Yep! That would work well.
[MENTION=6777310]Jimbro[/MENTION] Here ya go I dubbed them "burning dead" in my game, and they're meant to be included with the flameskull as potential enemies. I meant the Cinderhaunt to be CR 7 or 8, but it only came out as 6 with the DMG calculations...I think it might be a very nasty CR 6 however.

View attachment burning undead.pdf

 

[Xeviat]

Pretty cool, but they're a little simple for my tastes. I'd like to see some variant abilities, like weapons getting stuck in them, but I like complex fights.

Definitely gross and creepy.


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[Jimbro]

Pretty cool, but they're a little simple for my tastes. I'd like to see some variant abilities, like weapons getting stuck in them, but I like complex fights.

Definitely gross and creepy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I love that idea!!!!!!