Avoidance. If the dracoskull is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dracoskull fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The dracoskull has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Multiattack. The dracoskull can use Roar or Life Drain. It then makes two Bite attacks. It can replace one Bite with either Roar or Life Drain (whichever it hadn't already used). It can replace both Bites with Fire Breath.
Roar (Recharge 2–6). The dracoskull emits a bloodcurdling roar. Each creature within 120 feet of the dracoskull of its choice that can hear the roar must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution or Wisdom saving throw or drop to 0 hit points. On a successful save, the creature is frightened for one minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw (keeping the ability they chose) at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dracoskull's Roar for the next 24 hours.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage plus 7 (2d4) fire damage.
Life Drain. The dracoskull targets up to three creatures that it can see within 10 feet of it. Each target must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or take 21 (6d6) necrotic damage, and the dracoskull regains hit points equal to the total damage dealt to all targets.
Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dracoskull exhales fire in a 45-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 63 (18d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
The dracoskull can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn and only if that legendary action is different from the one used last. The dracoskull regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Flight. The dracoskull flies up to half its flying speed.
Energy Drain (Costs 2 Actions). Each creature within 30 feet of the dracoskull must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature’s hit point maximum is magically reduced by 10 (3d6). If a creature’s hit point maximum is reduced to 0 by this effect, the creature dies. A creature’s hit point maximum can be restored with the greater restoration spell or similar magic.
Vile Curse (Costs 3 Actions). The dracoskull targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be magically cursed. Until the curse ends, the target has disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the curse on a success.
Description
When a dracolich is killed, if it's phylactery gem is on the same plane of existence as it was, it can possess any dragon corpse that's not Undead if the gem comes into contact with it. Sometimes, if that corpse is just a dragon's skull, a dracolich spirit comes into contact with it and becomes a dracoskull, occasionally called a DemiDracolich.
Dracoskull Statistics
Take the template above and make the following changes to it. It is for an adult red dracoskull - both its original body and its new skull, just alter it as necessary. Lair actions and regional effects a DM discretion. You will probably have to recalculate its CR (see the DMG).
Ability Scores. The dracoskull takes the ability scores of its new type except for its Wisdom, Charisma, and Intelligence scores. Also, use the average of its old and new Constitution scores, give it a +5 bonus to Dexterity, and reduce its Strength to 8 (-1) if it's 9 or higher. It retains the saving throws and proficiencies it had in life in a similar way (original for WIS, CHA, & INT, new for DEX & STR, and proficient in CON saves if either its dragon types had proficiency.
Breath Weapon. The dracoskull uses the breath weapon of its new type. The range is decreased by 25% (1/4).
Damage Resistances and Immunities. The dracoskull has all resistances and immunity its new skull had in life, plus: Resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Magic Weapons and Immunity to Necrotic, Poison, Psychic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks. If its original form had resistance or immunity to psychic damage, it retains it now.
Tag(s). The dracoskull has any and all tags both its old and new types had.
Bite. The dracoskull has the Bite attack of its new type.
Hit Dice. The dracoskull's hit dice are changed to a d6 (average = 3.5).
AC. Any natural armor bonus of the dracoskull from its new form is halved (round down).
Condition Immunity. The dracoskull gains immunity to being prone.
Lair and Lair Actions
A Red Dracolich's Lair
Red dracoliches lair in high mountains or hills, dwelling in caverns under snow-capped peaks, or within the deep halls of abandoned mines and dwarven strongholds. Caves with volcanic or geothermal activity are the most highly prized red dracolich lairs, creating hazards that hinder intruders and letting searing heat and volcanic gases wash over a dracolich as it sleeps.
With its hoard well protected deep within the lair, a red dracolich spends as much of its time outside the mountain as in it. For a red dracolich, the great heights of the world are the throne from which it can look out to survey all it controls—and the wider world it seeks to control.
Throughout the lair complex, servants erect monuments to the dracolich's power, telling the grim story of its life, the enemies it has slain, and the nations it has conquered.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dracolich takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dracolich can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Magma erupts from a point on the ground the dracolich can see within 120 feet of it, creating a 20-foot-high, 5-foot-radius geyser. Each creature in the geyser’s area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
- A tremor shakes the lair in a 60-foot radius around the dracolich. Each creature other than the dracolich on the ground in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
- Volcanic gases form a cloud in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the dracolich can see within 120 feet of it. The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is lightly obscured. It lasts until initiative count 20 on the next round. Each creature that starts its turn in the cloud must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its turn. While poisoned in this way, a creature is incapacitated.
Regional Effects
The region containing a legendary red dracolich's lair is warped by the dracolich's magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Small earthquakes are common within 6 miles of the dracolich's lair.
- Water sources within 1 mile of the lair are supernaturally warm and tainted by sulfur.
- Rocky fissures within 1 mile of the dracolich's lair form portals to the Elemental Plane of Fire, allowing creatures of elemental fire into the world to dwell nearby.
If the dracolich dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10 days.
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