Spirit of Ebondeath
Large Undead, Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 250 (20d12 + 124)
Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR
7 (-2)
DEX
13 (+1)
CON
25 (+7)
INT
16 (+3)
WIS
19 (+4)
CHA
19 (+4)
Saving Throws CON +11, WIS +8, CHA +8
Skills Perception +12, Stealth +5
Damage Resistances Acid, Fire, Lightning, Thunder; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Cold, Necrotic, Poison
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained
Senses Blindsight 60 ft., Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 22
Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4
Traits

Ethereal Sight. Ebondeath can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.

Incorporeal Movement. Ebondeath can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Ebondeath fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Actions

Withering Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d10 + 4) necrotic damage. This attack cannot be made while Ebondeath is possessing a body.

Etherealness. Ebondeath enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. It is visible on the Material Plane while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can't affect or be affected by anything on the other plane. This trait does not function while Ebondeath is possessing a body.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of Ebondeath's choice that is within 120 feet of it and aware of it must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw 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 Ebondeath's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours. This trait does not function while Ebondeath is possessing a body.

Possession (Recharge 6). One humanoid that Ebondeath can see within 60 feet of it must succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or be possessed by Ebondeath; Ebondeath then disappears, and the target is incapacitated and loses control of its body. Ebondeath now controls the body but doesn't deprive the target of awareness. Ebondeath can't be targeted by any attack, spell, or other effect, except ones that turn undead, and it retains its alignment, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and immunity to being charmed and frightened. It otherwise uses the possessed target's statistics, including gaining access to the target's knowledge, class features, and proficiencies.

The possession lasts until the body drops to 0 hit points, Ebondeath ends it as a bonus action, or Ebondeath is turned or forced out by an effect like the dispel evil and good spell. When the possession ends, Ebondeath reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the body. The target is immune to Ebondeath's Possession for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw or after the possession ends.

Legendary Actions

Move. Ebondeath moves up to his movement speed without provoking opportunity attacks. If Ebondeath is possessing a body, he must use the body's movement abilities rather than his own.

Description

This updated version of Ebondeath's stats are based on the original blended with ancient black dragon statistics (with some minor alterations). The original stats felt like the designers simply took the ghost stat block, changed the name, and reworded its possession ability. They didn't even change the CR! A 225 hit point undead that can possess you and use all of your class abilities does not equate to a CR 4 encounter.

If you're running Divine Contention, I strongly recommend using these altered stats. I have used them with a party of 6 level 11 adventurers with great results. It turns the fight from a trivial "hit the monster until it dies" encounter to a truly ferocious battle against an ancient beast.

Lair and Lair Actions

Ebondeath resides deep in the vaults of the Uthtower, a ruined keep sunk into the mud in the Mere of Dead Men. He still retains a dragon's hoard of plunder, though in his new spirit state it means far less to him than it did when he was alive. Having lived in this underground vault for centuries, Ebondeath's power is tied directly to the place, allowing him to create magical effects like those he once wielded as a dracolich.

  • Ebondeath targets up to three piles of bones within 120 ft. of him, raising them as skeletons under his command. The skeletons act on Ebondeath's initiative. He can use a bonus action on his turn to command them to follow specific orders. Otherwise, they defend themselves and him to the best of their ability. The skeletons persist until destroyed or until Ebondeath dismisses them (no action required).
  • Magical darkness spreads from a point Ebondeath chooses within 60 feet of it, filling a 15-foot-radius sphere until Ebondeath dismisses it as an action, uses this lair action again, or dies. The darkness spreads around corners. A creature with darkvision can’t see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can’t illuminate it. If any of the effect’s area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of 2nd level or lower, the spell that created the light is dispelled.
  • Ebondeath teleports to an unoccupied within 60 ft. of him that he can see. If he is possessing a body, the body is also teleported, and Ebondeath retains control of it.

Monster Tags: Cult of the Dragon

Habitat: Swamp

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