5e Undead Races

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Races → Races by Type
According to the Monster Manual,

“

Undead are once-living creatures brought to a horrifying state of undeath through the practice of necromantic magic or some unholy curse. Undead include walking corpses, such as vampires and zombies, as well as bodiless spirits, such as ghosts and specters.

”

5e Undead Races without an improving, reviewing, or removing template present.

Name	Summary	Abilities	Size	Speed
Angel of Death	Undead humanoids with the general appearance of humans, supposedly risen through a divine parasitic curse	Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and one other score of your choice increases by 1.	Angels of death are almost always between 5 feet and 7 feet and rarely weigh more than 130 pounds. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Angel of Endless Nothing	Existence less human-like entities with the general appearance of humans, coming from a place void of existence	Your Charisma score increases by 2, and one other score of your choice increases by 1.	"Angels of Endless Nothing" are almost always between 5 feet and 7 feet and rarely weigh more than 130 pounds. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Awakened	All awakened share some similar base traits due to the fact that they are sentient undead.	Your ability scores each decrease by 1.	Small or Medium. This is dependent on your secondary race.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Awakened Zombie	Awakened zombies are undead creatures formed from dark magic but have managed to retain their intellect from when they were alive.	Your Constitution score increases by 2.	Zombies can vary in height and weight vastly. Your size is Medium to Small depending on your race in life.	Your base walking speed is dependent on your subrace.
Beheaded	An immortal thing. Quick, deadly, and with a weird sense of humor.	Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.	The beheaded possess humanoid corpses and as such can be of various ranges. Your size is Medium. See True Form.	You have a base walking speed of 30 feet. See True Form.
Brilrine	Demonic appearing, necromancers projects.	Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Intelligence score increases by 1.	Brilrine size doesn't entirely depend on what they were in their past life. Due to their leg change, most are around 6-9' tall (no taller than 9'), and most necromancers alter their torso's and general body to look like roughly normal proportions.	Your base walking speed is 35 feet.
Chosen Undead, Variant	Accursed Undead are an enduring sort. Adversity is their driving force. They are the chisel that levels a mountain.	You have a +2 Constitution score.	Most Accursed Undead come from Humans, but other races are seen to become Accursed Undead as well. Your size was what ever race you were before you died.	Your speed is 5 less then your previous race.
Clamantes Hostia	A word from the wise: betrayed children rarely stay dead.	Your Charisma score is increased by 2 and your Constitution score by 1.	Your size is Medium.	Your base speed is 30 feet.
Cnámhrûh	Skeletons imbued with the runes of necromancy	Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and either your Dexterity or Constitution score increases by 1.	Cnámhrûh are resurrected having lost all their flesh, and so a good portion of their original size is sheared down. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Cofagrigus	Dark spirited creatures that are tied to sarcophagi.	Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Charisma score increases by 1.	Cofagrigus are normally between 5 to 6 feet tall, being that they were made to carry humans before they were inhabited by a ghost. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Coldskin, Variant	Those who tried to absorb cold lost their humanity.	Your Constitution score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.	These coldskins tend to be lighter and shorter than most humans. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Coldvein	Undead elves shrouded in mystery.	Your Charisma score increases by 2 and your Dexterity score increases by 1.	Coldveins stand within the same general sizes as high elves. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Dhamyre	Zombie vampires	Your Constitution score increases by 2.	Dhampyres have a similar build to zombies. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Drekolac	A reborn necromancer sacrifice	Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.	Drekolac are roughly the height of humans, though not so heavy. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Flood	The unstoppable rival of all life in the galaxy.	Your Constitution score increases by 1.	Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Forloom	Creatures of omen born of regret	Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.	Forloom are nary taller than a man. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Frankenstein	Frankensteins are large humans, created from the parts of other, deceased humans. Although this may seem like a grotesque combination, Frankensteins make great allies, but also great enemies.	Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.	Normally they range from 6 to 8 feet tall and weigh more the most humanoids. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Geist	Geists are a unique form of a ghost or other spirit in that they have elected to turn away from the Blessed Sleep, a form of the afterlife where the souls find eternal rest, rather than being prohibited from it due to a geist's anguish or regret overcoming the pull toward the Æther.	Your Charisma or Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Wisdom increases by 1. However, your Strength score decreases by 2, and your Dexterity decreases by 1.	The height of a geist varies based on the geist's original race, however, regardless of your original race. Your size is Medium.	You have a base walking speed of 30 feet.
Ghost	Death is less permanent than you think.	An ability score of your choice increases by 2 and one other ability score increases by 1.	Ghosts have no weight and are as tall as they were in life. Your size can either be Small or Medium.	Your speed is 30 feet. You always hover 1 feet over the ground, but can't fly. If you end your turn more than 1 feet over the ground, you start falling.
Ghost, Variant	Death is less permanent than you think.	One of your ability scores increases by two, and one other increases by one. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.	Ghosts have no weight and are as tall as they were in life. Your size can either be Small or Medium.	Your speed is 30 feet. You can hover 1 feet over the ground, but can't fly. If you end your turn more than 1 feet over the ground, you start falling.
Ghoul	Feasters upon corpses	Your Intelligence score increases by 1.	Ghouls are never too short to intimidate. Your size is Medium.	You have a base walking speed of 30 feet.
Guardian of Light	Light and gun-wielding transhumans from a fallen system intent on seizing their destiny.	Your Dexterity score increases by 2.	Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Half-Human Half-Phantom	You are neither dead nor alive, yet both at once.	Your Constitution score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice each increase by 1.	Half-human half-phantoms possess the same builds as humans. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Half-Satori Half-Phantom	You're half-undead, and a mind reader. Though your mere existence generates a great deal of mistrust towards your kind, your mixed heritage is still a powerful thing.	Your Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom scores each increase by 1.	Half-satori half-phantoms are the same height and build as typical satori, ranging from 4 to 5 feet in height. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Hüllerenner	Raptor-like fey creatures	Your Wisdom score increases by 2.	Hüllerennern are large if lain head to tail. Otherwise, they are a bit short. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Igbourne	Reborn guardians of the life tree	Your Constitution score increases by 2.	The wooden bodies of igbourne are all more or less uniform. It is not that light of a body, and it can often reach about 6 feet in height. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Immortuos	A humanoid whose loved ones were unable to bring them back from death fully, resulting in a twisted creature.	Your Constitution score increases by 2.	Your size depends on your subrace. Children are Small whereas adults are Medium.	Despite their short legs, they are nimble and quick, with a base walking speed of 30 feet.
Imposed Corpse	Regular looking humanoid with a parasite for brains.	Your Constitution score increases by 1.	You can only possess the bodies of Medium or Small humanoids.	Your base walking speed in 30 feet, regardless of the humanoid you inhabit. If you were to have a flying speed, you lose it.
Insidia	Chained turncoats risen from below	Your Intelligence, Charisma and one other ability score of your choice increases 1.	Insidia have varying builds like humans, though they often keep the stature they had from their living days. Thus they will still be muscular even in death. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Jiangshi	Jiangshi are a special type of undead, made to be servants, but very much able to possess free will.	Your Constitution increases by 2.	Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Kabaneri	Undead humanoids with a burning heart and need for blood	Your Intelligence increases by 1, and either your Constitution or Dexterity increases by 2.	Kabaneri's size is comparable to a human. for the most part. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Kestral	Stuck between the living and the dead the path of a Kestral is unknown but almost certainly full of strife. but those who find the strength to conquer themselves have the potential to become terrifying Forces of nature. savage Champions of chaos. or even Heroes to the deserving.	One score of your choice increases by 2 and your Charisma score increases by 1. you cannot increase an ability score beyond 20 using this method.	Kestrals are of similar height and build to humans. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30
Kirishune	Blood-headed fox creatures...	Your Charisma score increases by 1.	Kirishune tend to be slightly taller than humans by a few inches. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Kyoukotsu	"Crazy Bones" for people who like mismatched skeletons.	Your Strength score increases by 2.	Kyoukotsu generally are around human height or taller. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Lich	Lich's were once powerful mages, so they are often suited as wizards or sorcerers.	Your Intelligence score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.	Your lich will be the exact same height they were when they were alive, give or take a few inches. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Lich, Variant	Liches are undead humanoids that used powerful magic to achieve immortality	Your Intelligence score increases by 2.	Liches are slightly shorter and immensely lighter than their original race. Your size category is the same as your original race.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Lichkin	Lichkin are byproducts of liches	Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and either your Wisdom or Constitution score increases by 1.	Most lichkin appear as withered versions of their own race, and are thus slightly smaller/lighter. Your size is Medium.	Lichkin do not have the best of bodies, which hampers their movement. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Litch	A humanoid race of undead living upon the coldest summits of the world.	Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.	Litches stand between 6 to 7 feet tall. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Mage Remnant
Necrolyte	A creature born from pure necrotic energy.	Your Dexterity score increases by 1 and your Wisdom score increases by 2.	Generally born from human parents, they are usually Medium size.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Nosferatu	The scrawny, sewer dwelling lesser cousin of the proud Vampire with its own ways to hunt.	Your Strength, Dexterity and Constitution scores each increase by 1.	Nosferatu can range in height and weight like most humanoids would, though they are normally lighter than they appear to be while looming over others. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Omegaunt	Elementals of necrotic stuffs	Your Charisma score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.	Your size is Medium	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Phantomborn	Undead children who died of tragedy	Your Constitution score increases by 1, and either your Intelligence or Charisma score increases by 2.	Phantomborn tend to stand between 4 to a little over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Pseudolich	A Pseudolich is an alchemically created undead, dedicated to purpose.	Your Intelligence score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.	Because of the decay that comes with undeath, the cartilage between the bones is mostly gone in a given pseudolich. As a result, the average height is that of their birth race minus two inches and they are skinnier. Your size is Medium.	You base walking speed is 30 feet.
Reanimated	Reanimated are made from parts of deceased humanoids which are connected together and brought back to life through the use of chemical or electrical activation.	Your Constitution score increases by 2.	Reanimated range in height between 4 to 8 feet. Build size ranges from skeletal to unhealthily muscular as reanimated tend to have very low amounts of body fat and dense musculature. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Revenant	The soul of a mortal who met a cruel and undeserving fate.	You have the same abilities modifiers as your Mortal Form.	You have the same size as your Mortal Form.	You have the same speed as your Mortal Form.
Ruler	Reborn and undead, rulers of eras now past walk the Material Plane again, ready to rebuild their kingdoms.	Your Charisma score increases by 2.	A rulers height and weight is about the same as it was in life. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 35 feet.
Seaborn	Those who drowned at sea that came back, with some of the sea's influence	Your Wisdom score increases by 1, and another ability score of your choice increases by 2.	Mainly being of the humanoid sort, seaborn are about the height and weight of humans. Some might appear thinner or others more saggy and bloated. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 25 feet, having a bit of a slowed gait, particularly on land.
Seafallen	Ship's Crews taken by the ocean but who refused to stay down.	Your Constitution score increases by 2.	Seafallen height is generally a bit taller or shorter then their original races height. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You have swimming speed of 30 feet.
Senka	The Senka are a race of shadows which are almost always given by a god/goddess of the shadows	Your dexterity score increases by 2	Senka are generally medium and between 5-7ft tall, however, a Senka can often mimic their hosts size	Your base walking speed 35 feet in dim light and in the dark, but only 25ft in bright light.
Sepulchral	Skeletal beings that are half humanoid and reptilian	Your Dexterity or Constitution score increases by 2 and your Wisdom score increases by 1.	Sepulchrals stand between 6 and 7 feet tall on average, though when accommodating for their lower body which they slither upon, their actual body length is typically 11 to 13 feet. Generally weighing in around 150 pounds, your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Shade	Shades are creatures of random sizes and abilities from a past life and as such, the possibilities are through the roof.	Your Dexterity score increases by 2.	Any size they had in life.	Your base walking speed is the speed you had in life.
Shadow Fiend	Fiends born from shadows and Dark magic	Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and either your Dexterity or Constitution score increases by 1.	Shadow fiends usually appear between 4 and 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Skeleton	The reanimated completely decomposed corpse of a humanoid.	Your Constitution score increases by 1.	You are however tall you were in life and weigh significantly less. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Skeleton, 2nd Variant	The rattling of their bones makes you shiver.	Your Constitution, Dexterity, and Wisdom scores each increase by 1.	Skeletons vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Skeleton, 4th Variant	Pure white skelly bone bois for your games.	Your Dexterity and Constitution scores increase by 2.	Depending on your subrace, you may be small or medium, with any size range in-between. To represent this, the tables below in your subrace have a very broad height range. Your weight range is very low however, because bones are light. Alternatively, you can use the size range of the race you had in life, but use 1/7th or 1/8th of their weight or roll on the height and weight tables below just for your weight.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet. If you are small size, it is 25 feet instead.
Skeleton, Variant	The reanimated completely decomposed corpse of a humanoid, usually	Your Constitution score increases by 2.	Skeletons range from 4 to 8 feet in height, weighing 10% of their weight. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Soul Merchants	Hunched, heavily cloaked travelers who love a good bargain.	Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.	Merchants stand up to about 3 feet tall and might look even smaller due to their bent backs and stooping gait. Your size is Small.	Despite a small size, merchants have a surprising turn of speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Soul Phantom	Soul phantoms are remnant pieces of earthly attachment	Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.	Most soul phantoms retain a height of around 5 to 5 and a half feet tall. Your size is Medium.	You have a base walking speed of 30 feet.
Soul Stitched	Corpses, sewn together by stitches, powered by electricity and given intelligence by a snatched soul.	Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.	Soul Stitched are around the same size as humans but usually weigh more. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Spectral	Spirits who have, through vaguely defined means, created physical bodies for themselves.	Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.	Most spectrals materialize in forms that are sustainable, but keep their general size and shape.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
The Leem	The Leem is a blind, formless blob of human flesh, armed with cleaning abilities.	Your dex score increases by 1, your str increases by 3 and your cha decreases by 1.	Leems are normally about 5-7ft long, and 2ft wide. They can weigh anywhere between 50 and 500lbs. Your size is Medium	Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your base swimming speed is 50ft.
Typhon Anthrophantasmus	Alien creatures created to serve the Apex, but wait...	Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.	Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Urak Tuu	Vestiges of a fallen civilization raised by their dark mistakes	Your Constitution score increases by 2 and one other score of your choice increases by 1.	Your height can go from 5 and a half feet to 7 feet tall. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Vampire	Inhuman, merciless, and uncaring about their earlier life. Vampires are undeath and evil manifest of inversed good and paradox.	Your Strength, Dexterity and Constitution scores each increase by 1.	Vampires can range in height and weight like most humanoids would, though they are normally lighter then they appear to be while looming over others. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Vampire, Hellsing	A subrace to be taken in addition to another race when becoming a Hellsing Vampire	Your ability scores do not change when you become this race.	Your size shall be determined by original race	Your base walking speed shall be determined by original race. At level 3, you gain the ability to move up, down, and along vertical surfaces, as well as across ceilings, leaving your hands free.
Veilwalker	Shady undead creatures who guard anomalous gates to the dead world	Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.	Veilwalkers are skinny but rather tall. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Vryloka	A race of humans who gained near-vampiric powers	Your Charisma score increases by 2, and either your Strength or Dexterity score increases by 1.	Vryloka range from 5 to a little over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 35 feet.
White	These fiends of bone seek carnage	Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.	You are as large as a human, though possibly leaner or stockier. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Wight	Wights are undead returned solely by hate	You have one ability modifier from your Past Life. Your Charisma score increases by 1.	You have the same size as your Past Life. Wights primarily form from Medium humanoids.	You have the same speed as your Past Life.
Wither Skeleton	Skeletal warriors who live deep within secluded forts.	Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.	Being a human-like skeleton makes you vary widely in height and build, from barely 6 feet to well over 7 feet tall. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Your swimming speed is 10 feet.
Zomage	Necromancer undead who came of necromancy	Your Wisdom score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.	Zomages are usually about the size of humans, or shorter. Your size is Medium.	Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Zombie	You were alive. Then you weren't... Everything's a little foggy and nothing seems to function right. What happened? You remember a field, and people fighting... What's the captain's name again?! Why are you still in the field? Then you look down all to quickly you remember the spear. Its still there poking out of your ribcage with rotting bits of your heart attached. A skinny lad in black robes stands nearby. "Welcome back to the land of the living!" he announces grandly. "Maybe unliving in your case" he mutters to himself.	Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Strength score increases by 1.	Your size is Small or Medium, depending on your former race.	Your base walking speed is the same as the base walking speed of your former race, typically 30 feet.

Incomplete Races

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Races → Races by Type
View recent changes for all Undead