Necrotic Warden
medium undead (lich), lawful evil
Defense
Proficiencies & Senses
Characteristics
Traits
Legendary Resistance (3/Day)
If the Necrotic Warden fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Aura of Despair
Creatures within 30 feet of the Necrotic Warden have disadvantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Undead Fortitude
If damage reduces the Necrotic Warden to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw. On a success, it drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Necrotic Touch
Melee Spell Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 36 (8d8) necrotic damage.
Life Drain (Recharge 5-6)
The Necrotic Warden targets one creature it can see within 60 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or take 55 (10d10) necrotic damage. The Warden regains hit points equal to half the amount of necrotic damage dealt.
Summon Undead (1/Day)
The Necrotic Warden summons 2d4 skeletons or zombies that act on its initiative. They remain for 1 hour.
Reactions
Necromantic Retaliation
When hit by a melee attack, the Necrotic Warden can unleash a wave of necrotic energy, dealing 18 (4d8) necrotic damage to the attacker.
Bonus_Actions
Shield of Eyes
As a bonus action, the Necrotic Warden can shroud itself in necromantic energy, gaining 10 temporary hit points.
Combat Behavior
Tactics
• Employs minions to distract and weaken
• Uses spells from a distance
• Retreats if outnumbered or injured
Combat Style
Utilizes magic and summoning abilities, focusing on ranged attacks.
Monster Description
The Necrotic Warden is a formidable undead creature, once a master of the arcane arts, who has transcended their mortal form to become a lich-like entity. Cloaked in tattered robes adorned with ancient runes, the Warden carries a staff topped with a glowing black crystal that pulses with dark energy. Its hollow eye sockets emit a malevolent glow, revealing the long-buried remnants of a sorcerer's intellect shrouded in deathly quiet. Unlike most undead, the Warden retains a keen understanding of magic and strategy, using its sorcerous abilities to manipulate the battlefield and command lesser undead.Monster behavior
In combat, the Necrotic Warden utilizes its spells cunningly, often summoning undead minions to distract and weaken foes while it attacks from a distance with necrotic energy. It possesses a calculating mindset, preferring to manipulate foes into vulnerable positions before striking with precision and power. As a master tactician, it avoids direct confrontations, instead relying on a preeminent advantage in the situation. When faced with defeat, it will often retreat to fight another day, resolute in its intention to revisit its foes when they are least prepared.Ecology
The Necrotic Warden plays a significant role in the undead ecosystem, leading legions of lesser undead to fulfill its dark ambitions. It often seeks to expand its territory by turning the living into more mindless servitors. Its ability to drain life from its enemies aids in maintaining its strength and sustaining its influence across desolate lands. Nearby villages sometimes become targets as the Warden seeks to gather souls to feed its insatiable hunger for power.History
The Necrotic Warden was once a prestigious archmage in the realm, renowned for their mastery of necromancy. Driven by an insatiable thirst for knowledge and power, they sought forbidden texts and rituals which ultimately culminated in their dark transformation into the Warden after a failed attempt to attain immortality through more traditional means. Their consciousness merged with dark entities that offered power in exchange for servitude, resulting in their evolution into a creature ruled by the forces of the nether. To this day, tales of the Necrotic Warden's devastating armies and the ruins of once-proud civilizations serve as a warning to those who venture into its lair.Ready to Unleash Your Dungeon Master Potential?
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