Medium Undead, Any Lawful Alignment
Armor Class 15 Natural armor
Hit Points 133 (16d8 + 48)
Speed 20 ft.
STR
20 (+5)
DEX
14 (+2)
CON
16 (+3)
INT
14 (+2)
WIS
4 (-3)
CHA
4 (-3)
Saving Throws STR +9, WIS +1
Damage Vulnerabilities Radiant
Damage Resistances Poison, Bludgeoning from non magical attacks
Damage Immunities Necrotic, Psychic
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Senses Blindsight 90 ft (blind beyond this radius), Passive Perception 7
Languages Understand any language they and their victims spoke when they were alive but cannot speak
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4
Traits

Magic Weapons. The Cursed Executioner weapon attacks are magical.

Last Supper. At the end of each of its turn the Cursed Executioner heals from half its missing hit points rounded down.

Death Row. Any creature that attempt to communicate, in any way, with the Cursed Executioner get answered with desperate and discordant pleas for mercy. The creature must succeed a DD 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 8 (2d8) psychic and, until the end of their next turn, cannot willingly move away from the Cursed Executioner.

Last Words. When the Cursed Executioner kills a humanoïde creature. This creature must immediately perform one last action to aid the Cursed Executioner in any way. This action disregard hit points and the effect of the charmed, frightened, exhausted, poisoned and unconscious condition.

 

Actions

Multiattack. The Cursed Executioner makes two melee weapon attacks.

Great-Axe. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 37 (5d12 + 5) slashing damage. 

Binding Chains. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 30 ft., all target in a 30 ft line. Hit: 16 (4d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. The targets must succeed a DD 15 Dexterity or be pulled 10 ft toward the Cursed Executioner and be restrained until the end of the Cursed Executioner next turn.

 

Description

What happens when a state abolishes the death penalty? When the executioner has to hang up their axe and live with their sins clawing at their back? When the soul of the convicts learns that they didn’t have to die?

What happens is a cursed executioner. The souls amalgamate, gaining enough power to reach through the material plane and forcibly rip the mind out of the former executioner. Now composed of hundreds of souls the body shifts, trying to conform to the minds that inhabit it.

This transformation breaks the body down, destroying any identifiable feature, resulting in a distorted androgynous mess, the head breaks down onto itself constantly producing a black ichor raining on the face, shoulders and nape of the creature like a liquid hood.

Grabbing the great-axe and chains of the former executioner the monster infuses them with its cursed essence and heads out to bring down a vengeful and confused justice upon any sinner they judge worthy of the same fate they fell victim to before swallowing their souls into the fold.

How to use : The cursed executioner is a slow but violent foe, it’ll use its chains and Death Rows ability to bring the party closer to him before cutting them down with its devastating axe attack.

Its healing ability makes sure to compensate for its low HP and AC, it also makes for a gruelling endgame since the more injured it is the more it heals.

Distance is the name of the game against this monster and fleeing is a very reasonable option thus Melee should be left to the tank and melee glass cannon should reconsider before charging.

Beware, this monster is supposed to be an executioner. If there is any renowned criminal within the party it wouldn't make sense for the Cursed Executioner to move on after dropping them to 0 hit points. This implies decapitation which can be very risky to introduce in your game. As such, when presenting this monster the DM should emphasis the danger of its axe swing, especially if there is a melee glass cannonin the party.

Also, if it uses its « Last words » abilities, let the player choose the action they take and describe how their body is being puppeteered for a great horror sequence.

Habitat: Urban

Reidrev

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