Aura of Dread. The ak'chazar rakshasa exudes an aura which fills all living creatures with a disturbing sense of dread and instills undead under the rakshasa's control with significant power. Undead under the ak'chazar's command within 30 feet of the ak'chazar rakshasa gain a +5 bonus on weapon attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws. Intelligent undead the ak'chazar rakshasa is allied with, but not under the rakshasa's control, gain a +2 bonus instead.
Change Shape. The ak'chazar rakshasa magically polymorphs into a humanoid that has a challenge rating equal to or less than its own, or back into its true form. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the ak'chazar rakshasa's choice).
In a new form, the ak'chazar rakshasa retains its game statistics and ability to speak, but its AC, movement modes, Strength, Dexterity, and special senses are replaced by those of the new form, and it gains any statistics and capabilities (except class features, legendary actions, and lair actions) that the new form has but that it lacks.
Innate Spellcasting. The ak'chazar rakshasa's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). The ak'chazar rakshasa can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: animate dead
1/day each: create undead, magic jar
Limited Magic Immunity. The ak'chazar rakshasa can't be affected or detected by spells of 3rd level or lower unless it wishes to be. It has advantage on saving throws against all other spells and magical effects.
Spellcasting. The ak'chazar rakshasa is a 15th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). The ak'chazar rakshasa has the following sorcerer spells known:
Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, prestidigitation, shocking grasp, thunderclap
1st level (4 slots): charm person, disguise self, shield
2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, hold person
3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fly
4th level (3 slots): blight, dimension door
5th level (2 slots): danse macabre, dominate person
6th level (1 slot): circle of death
7th level (1 slot): finger of death
8th level (1 slot): abi-dalzim's horrid wilting
Multiattack. The ak'chazar rakshasa makes three claw attacks and may either cast one spell or use its waves of pain ability if available.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (4d6 + 2) slashing damage, and the target is cursed if it is a creature. While cursed, every time the target suffers necrotic damage, the creature's maximum hit points decreases by the same amount of damage. If this reduces the target's maximum hit points to 0, the target dies. The curse lasts until it is lifted by a remove curse spell or similar magic.
Waves of Pain (Recharge 5-6). Each creature within 30 feet of the ak'chazar rakshasa must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or take 27 (6d8) necrotic damage, or half on a success. Creatures must additionally make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. The ak'chazar rakshasa regains hit points equal to half the necrotic damage dealt plus 4 (1d8) per each level of exhaustion inflicted. Undead creatures within this area instead gain temporary hit points equal to the amount of necrotic damage rolled. Constructs are immune to this attack entirely.
Rebuke the Living (3/Day). Each living creature within 30 feet of the ak'chazar rakshasa must make a DC 18 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, the creature must spend its turn trying to move as far away from the ak'chazar rakshasa as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of the ak'chazar rakshasa. It also cannot take any Reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect hat prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action. The creature may attempt the saving throw again at the end of each of its turns as well as whenever it takes damage.
Description
Ak’chazar rakshasas wander the planes seeking new lands to subjugate and new undead minions to enslave. These rakshasas are masters of necromantic magic, although they are powerful in the other schools of magic as well. Ak’chazar rakshasas typically work behind the scenes, manipulating events to suit their dark whims and relying on their web of spies, assassins, and intelligent undead to carry out their nefarious plots.
An ak’chazar rakshasa looks like a humanoid with the head of a white tiger. A light coating of ghostly white fur coats the creature’s body from the shoulders down, and its hands display razor-sharp nails, like a cat’s claws. The palms of its hands are where the backs of the hands would be on a human. An ak’chazar rakshasa stands around 6 feet tall and weighs about 175 pounds.
Ak’chazar rakshasas do associate with other rakshasas, often as leaders or manipulators. Other types of rakshasas value an ak’chazar’s intelligence even as they fear its abilities. It is not uncommon for weaker rakshasas to follow the complex plans of an ak’chazar even as they go about their own missions. All rakshasas tend toward solitary existences, but communication and coordination between the various kinds is not unheard of.
An ak’chazar rakshasa typically establishes a power base at the site of a great battle, a large cemetery, or some other place where a large number of corpses might be interred. It uses its power over undead to create several intelligent undead minions. Thereafter, it might make contact with a local underworld organization (almost always through intermediaries) or even a corrupt or power-hungry political official. It will play with these leaders, offering them advice, power, or riches as it learns their habits and defining characteristics. Then the ak’chazar uses its magic jar spell to replace one of these leaders for a time, using the borrowed body to solidify its hold on the region.
Sample troops an ak'chazar rakshasa may encountered with include 3d10 zombies, 1d3 boneclaws, 1d2 death knights, 2d4 wraithes, or 1d2 vampires.
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