Great Undead (5e Template)

Great Undead

Whether a particular undead creature resonates particularly strongly with the magic that drives it or some more powerful magic was used to draw it into unlife, great undead are, thankfully, very rare. Lesser undead are drawn to the presence of a great undead, particularly those of the same type as a great undead. While the thought of a more powerful zombie or skeleton is frightening enough, a more powerful lich or vampire is another matter entirely.

Prerequisite

Any creature with the undead type.

Statistics

Hit Dice. The great undead's hit dice increase by 4.

Abilities. Each of the great undead's ability scores increase by 2.

Languages The great undead learns Common if it didn't already know it and any one other language.

Skills The great undead gains any three skills.

Traits

Brute. A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when the great undead hits with it.

Actions

Leadership (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). For 1 minute, the great undead can utter a special command or warning whenever a nonhostile creature that it can see within 30 feet of it makes an attack roll or a saving throw. The creature can add a d4 to its roll provided it can hear and understand the great undead. A creature can benefit from only one Leadership die at a time. This effect ends if the great undead is incapacitated.

Reactions

Parry. The great undead adds its proficiency modifier to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the great undead must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.

CR Calculation

Recalculate the creature's CR with the following considerations:

• Increased hit points (from improved hit dice).
• Increase effective AC by 1 (from Parry).
• Increase effective damage per-round damage by the amount listed in the trait (from Brute).

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