Spawn of the dracolich. While the dracolich that created it survives, the skeleton cannot be killed permanently and re-forms after 1 day unless holy water is sprinkled on its remains, a remove curse or similar spell of 3rd level or higher is cast on its remains, or the dracolich is killed.
Linked Together. The skeleton shares a telepathic link with all other dragon skeletons created by the same dracolich. While this link persists, it has telepathy with unlimited range, only to contact other dragon skeletons of the same creator. When it dies, it sends out a telepathic signal, causing the nearest dragon skeleton to hurry to the site of its demise.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) necrotic damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage.
Undead Lightning Breath (Recharge 6). The skeleton exhales lightning in an 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 16 (3d10) lightning damage and 16 (3d10) necrotic damage on a failed save, or no damage on a successful one.
The skeleton can take 2 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. The skeleton regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Attack. The skeleton makes an attack. It cannot use its breath weapon
Rend (Costs 2 Actions). The skeleton makes a claw attack against up to 5 creatures within 5 feet of it.
Raise (Costs 2 Actions, 1/day). The skeleton breaks off three of its teeth and plants them in the ground, causing three mundane skeletons to rise from the ground and attack. The skeletons are allied with the dragon skeleton, cannot be turned while the skeleton that raised them is alive, and have resistance to piercing and slashing damage from attacks not made with adamantine weapons (this includes any magic weapon with a bonus of less than +3). The skeletons remain until killed.
Description
The transformation into a dracolich is a horrible process, especially for the dragon involved. So horrible, in fact, that many solid-minded dragons go insane during it. When such a dragon realizes it no longer has the loyalty of its previous minions, it decides to create more. Usually such dragons seek out their own children, and kill them with their necrotic breath. After the dracolich slays them, magic sufficing the dragon's body brings them back to life as a lesser form of dracolich -- a dragon skeleton.
Dragon Skeletons are typically created in groups of two or more, and usually retain the breath weapon of their parent dragon, although half of the energy is necrotic instead of what they used to have. The parent dracolich's necrotic breath rots away everything except the bones of the unlucky recipient, and as a result, dragon skeletons have no individual personality, cannot speak, and are loyal thralls of the dracolich. Even death is not the end for these watch beasts, as the foul magic that animates them allows them to be reincarnated. Holy water is an effective deterrent for this reincarnation process, as well as spells that end curses.
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