Pile Of Bones. When killed, the bone bearer’s body becomes difficult terrain.
Banner Of The Dead. Any allied undead creature within 20 ft. of the bone bearer that can see it is immune to the charm and frightened condition, as well as immune to effects that turn undead (including the bone bearer itself). Additionally each allied undead creature in the area deals an additional 3 (1d6) necrotic damage with each attack.
Multiattack. The bone bearer makes two longsword attacks.
Longsword (One-handed). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) necrotic damage (see Unholy Banner).
Wicked Surge. An allied undead creature within 20 ft. of the Bone Bearer adds 1d6 to its attack rolls and saving throws until the beginning of the bone bearer’s next turn.
Unholy Rally (Recharge 5-6). The bone bearer revives a corpse of an allied undead that died since the beginning of its last turn. That creature returns to life with all of its hit points.
Defend The Icon. The bone bearer commands an allied undead creature within 20 ft. of the bone bearer to make a melee weapon attack against a creature that dealt damage to the bone bearer or its banner.
Description
Among the ranks of fallen soldiers that once proudly served the Family are malignant skeletons that serve as a rallying point for the decrepit undead. Their blasphemous flag‘s mere presence in battle lends strength and unspeakable boons to their damnable kin. Due to the unholy reverence of the dead, these fiends are even able to tap into the necrotic energies that animate them, allowing them to raise their fallen brethren to unlife once more.
Bone Bearers and Challenge
The bone bearer is a unique monster as its offensive capabilities are not based on its own, but on the allies around it. Because of this, it is hard to accurately rate the Challenge of the bone bearer. For example if the bone bearer would have the opportunity to use its Unholy Rally on a powerful ally, it would basically add another high CR monster into the encounter's total difficulty. Alternatively it can also increase the difficulty of an encounter tremendously if it were to lead a horde of lower CR minions who all benefit from its banner.
To simplify a complex problem as best as possible, here is a rule of thumb: When calculating the difficulty of an encounter (assuming the party is at a reasonable level to face several CR 5-6 creatures), do not factor the CR 6 of the bone bearer into the encounter, but instead increase the difficulty of the encounter by one tier (for example a medium encounter becomes a hard encounter etc.).
From DM-Tuz's Horrors of the Dark
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