Undead Telepathy. The skeletal magus can telepathically communicate with other undead within 300 feet, and is aware of the direction, distance, and power of all undead within this range. Additionally, it can use this quality to telepathically communicate with one creature within 120 feet that it can see, unable to communicate with any other creatures in this way while using this feature.
Undead Necromancer. These undead were Necromancers in life, and as such can command lesser undead. Skeletons and Zombies inherently obey these creatures, and intelligent undead are not hostile towards them, and they never lose control of skeletons and zombies they animate.
Boneforged Body. Boneforged skeletons take the maximum result for all of their hit die, have +2 to their Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity scores, and gain proficiency in strength and constitution saving throws if they didn't have it, already.
Spellcasting. The skeletal magus is an 12th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). The skeletal magus has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): mage hand, chill touch, green-flame blade,ray of frost, toll the dead
1st level (4 slots): detect magic, inflict wounds, ray of sickness
2nd level (3 slots): acid arrow, mirror image, misty step, blindness/deafness
3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, counterspell, fireball
4th level (3 slots): blight, greater invisibility
5th level (2 slots): cloudkill, cone of cold, scrying
6th level (1 slot): create undead
Turn Resistance. The skeletal magus has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.
Grim Harvest. Once on each of its turns, if the skeletal magus reduces at least one creature to 0 hit points with one of its 1st level or higher spells, it regains hit points equal to twice the spell level or three times the spell level if it was a necromancy spell.
Undead Thralls. When casting animate dead, the skeletal magus creates or prolongs control over one additional skeleton or zombie and skeletons. Further, they gain +12 maximum hit points and +4 to their weapon damage rolls.
Inured to Undeath. The skeletal magus has resistance to necrotic damage and cannot have its maximum hit points reduced.
Augment Undead. Skeletons created by this creature have the boneforged body trait, while zombies and other flesh possessing undead created by this creature have the embalmed flesh trait. See the feat Augment Undead for further information.
Staff of Withering (3 charges). Melee Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d6+2) bludgeoning damage. By using one of its charges on a hit, the attack deals an additional 11 (2d10) necrotic damage. If this is done, the target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer disadvantage on all Strength and Constitution ability checks for 1 hour.
Wand of Lightning Bolts (7 Charges). The Skeleton casts lightning bolt at 3rd Level for 1 charge. The save DC is 15.
Mend Undead (Recharge 1–4). The skeletal magus chooses one damaged undead, either selecting itself, the one with the most missing hit points, or the strongest damaged undead, within 60 feet. That undead regains 16 hit points. This ability cannot be used again for 1d4 rounds.
Counterspell. The skeletal magus will always use counterspell against any 3rd level or higher damaging spell that would be used against it.
Description
Created from the remains of skilled necromancers, these skeletal magic users are almost as potent of wizards as they were in life. Raised to help create and command armies of the undead, these terrifying beings are incredibly intelligent and staunchly loyal to any entity skilled enough to raise them, often idolizing the greater necromancer and reveling in the opportunity to help ply their trade. Not mindless like other skeletons, they make for powerful assets, able to dedicatedly control lesser undead and tend to tedious tasks and lesser objectives with little to no direction needed.
These undead necromancers are almost always given magical items to help them accomplish their objectives and will seek out magical items to improve their own powers, still driven to attain their own goals of achieving lichdom, even if such a goal is nearly impossible in their current state. Those that have realized the folly in such goals will, instead, devote every magical object they acquire to the necromancer that raised them, seeing strength and pride in being a part of a greater necromancer's rise to power.
Skeletal Magi are rare, and typically only employed by liches or master necromancers capable of keeping them loyal. When left to their own devices without a master, however, they will pursue a means to strengthen their reanimation or resurrect themselves to become a greater necromancer once more, ultimately aiming to become a lich, themselves, more often than not. These roving skeletons will animate their own protective entourage at the earliest convenience, and will generally be found with 3 to 8 skeletons or zombies and 2 ghouls.
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