both before death corpse return

Speak with Dead

Spells Player’s Handbook

or it recognizes you as an enemy. This spell doesn’t return the creature’s soul to its body, only its animating spirit. Thus, the corpse can’t learn new information, doesn’t comprehend anything that has happened since it died, and can’t speculate about future events.

You grant the semblance of life to a corpse of your choice within range, allowing it to answer questions you pose. The corpse must have a mouth, and this spell fails if the deceased creature was

Death Dog

Monsters Monster Manual

Multiattack. The death dog makes two Bite attacks. Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +4;{"diceNotation":"1d20+4", "rollType":"to hit", "rollAction":"Bite"}, reach 5 ft. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2);{"diceNotation":"1d4

. First Failure: The target has the Poisoned condition. While Poisoned, the target’s Hit Point maximum doesn’t return to normal when finishing a Long Rest, and it repeats the save every 24 hours

Death Tyrant

Monsters Monster Manual

imperceptible, magical wave of negative energy in a 150-foot Cone. Creatures in that area can’t regain Hit Points until the start of the death tyrant’s next turn. An intact Humanoid corpse

Legendary Resistance (3/Day, or 4/Day in Lair). If the death tyrant fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.Multiattack. The death tyrant uses Eye Rays three times. Bite. Melee Attack

Deck of Many Things

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

combat, you have Advantage on Death Saving Throws for 1 year. If someone else reduces your chosen foe to 0 Hit Points or you don’t choose a foe, this card has no effect. Donjon. You disappear

yourself. The knight has the same alignment as you and serves you loyally until death, believing the two of you have been drawn together by fate. Work with your DM to create a name and backstory for this NPC

Speak with Dead Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

. This spell doesn't return the creature's soul to its body, only its animating spirit. Thus, the corpse can't learn new information, doesn't comprehend anything that has happened since it died, and can't speculate about future events.

You grant the semblance of life and intelligence to a corpse of your choice within range, allowing it to answer the questions you pose. The corpse must still have a mouth and can't be undead. The

Corpse Flower

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Climb. The corpse flower can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Stench of Death. Each creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of

of its next turn. On a successful save, the creature is immune to the Stench of Death of all corpse flowers for 24 hours.Multiattack. The corpse flower makes three Tentacle attacks. Tentacle. Melee

Corpse Flower Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

the initiative order. The zombie acts as an ally of the corpse flower but isn't under its control, and the flower's stench clings to it (see the Stench of Death trait). Spider Climb. The corpse flower

can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Stench of Death. Each creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the corpse flower or

False Lich

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

effects.Multiattack. The false lich makes two Death Rend attacks and uses Bloodcurdling Lament if available. Death Rend. Melee Spell Attack: +14;{"diceNotation":"1d20+14", "rollType":"to hit

", "rollAction":"Death Rend"} to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (3d10 + 7);{"diceNotation":"3d10+7", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Death Rend", "rollDamageType":"necrotic"} necrotic damage

Specter of Night

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

, calling to those close to death. Each non-Undead creature within 120 feet of the specter must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature hears the wail and is marked for death

. A creature marked for death can’t regain hit points, has disadvantage on death saving throws, and all attack rolls against it are made with advantage. This effect lasts for 1 minute or until

Relentless Impaler

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

Bloodheart Stake. The impaler is magically bound to the ceremonial stake and the sacrificed corpse the ritual caster used to create it. If the impaler is reduced to 0 hit points, it disappears, then

if it is reduced to 0 hit points while either the ceremonial stake is removed from the sacrifice’s corpse or the impaler is on a different plane of existence from that corpse. Legendary

Carrion Stalker

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

instantly kills the larvae in the creature, ending the effect on it. If a creature is reduced to 0 hit points by the infestation, it dies. The larvae remain in the corpse, and one survives to become a fully

grown carrion stalker in 1d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Weeks"} weeks. Any effect that cures diseases or removes the poisoned condition that targets the corpse instantly

Clone Legacy

Spells Basic Rules (2014)

This spell grows an inert duplicate of a living creature as a safeguard against death. This clone forms inside the vessel used in the spell’s casting and grows to full size and maturity after

clone matures, if the original creature dies, its soul transfers to the clone, provided that the soul is free and willing to return. The clone is physically identical to the original and has the same

Dybbuk

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

":"Tentacle"}. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest. The target dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0. Possess Corpse (Recharge 6);{"diceNotation":"1d6

", "rollType":"recharge", "rollAction":"Possess Corpse"}. The dybbuk disappears into an intact corpse within 5 feet of it that belonged to a Large or smaller Beast or Humanoid. The dybbuk gains 20 temporary hit

Revenant Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

. After 24 hours, the soul inhabits and animates another humanoid corpse on the same plane of existence and regains all its hit points. While the soul is bodiless, a wish spell can be used to force the soul

to go to the afterlife and not return. Turn Immunity. The revenant is immune to effects that turn undead. Vengeful Tracker. The revenant knows the distance to and direction of any creature against

Zargash

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

folly, but Zargash is twisted beyond any hope of redemption. His hobbies include slaying the living and animating the dead. Alignment. Chaotic evil. Personality Trait. “I do not fear death

; Bond. “Praise Orcus! May he give me the power to spread death, decay, and undeath in his name!” Flaw. “I see living people as the corpses they are doomed to become and t reat them

Harrow Hound

Monsters The Book of Many Things

return to the Gardens of Decay with the hunt incomplete. Powerful Undead, such as vampire;vampires and death knight;death knights, might be accompanied by packs of harrow hounds.PoisonNecrotic, Psychic

Sunsword

Magic Items Curse of Strahd

. Strahd employed a powerful wizard named Khazan to destroy the weapon after Sergei’s death. The first part of the process required the hilt and the blade to be separated, which Khazan accomplished

. While Khazan was busying himself destroying the blade, his apprentice stole the hilt and fled. Khazan later located his apprentice’s mutilated corpse in the Svalich Woods, but the hilt was

Skulk

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

fat rendered from a corpse whose identity is unknown. Children. Humanoid children, aged 10 and under, can see through this invisibility. Reflective Surfaces. The skulk appears as a drab, smooth

a vague likeness of its master. Cruel and chaotic, skulks carry out their orders in the most violent manner possible. A summoned skulk can’t return to the Shadowfell until it dies, so many

Lesser Death Dragon

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

corpse of such a creatures within the cone, becomes a zombie (see the Monster Manual) under the dragon’s control. The zombie acts on the dragon’s initiative but immediately after the

dragon’s turn. Absent any other command, the zombie tries to kill any non-Undead creature it encounters.Most death dragons are pale imitations of their former selves. They remember flashes and

Barghest

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

. Soul Feeding. The barghest can feed on the corpse of a Fey or Humanoid it killed within the past 10 minutes. This feeding takes at least 1 minute, and it destroys the corpse. The victim’s soul is

day when it can complete its mission, return to Gehenna, and serve the General directly in his yugoloth legions, but it doesn’t kill goblinoids indiscriminately. By devouring the souls of

Greater Death Dragon

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

. Additionally, any Medium or smaller Humanoid killed by the breath’s damage, as well as every corpse of such a creature within the cone, becomes a zombie (see the Monster Manual) under the dragon

", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Cataclysmic Rush", "rollDamageType":"necrotic"} necrotic damage. A creature can take this damage only once per turn.Some death dragons manage to retain almost all

Flesh Meld

Monsters Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk

Amorphous. The flesh meld can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch without squeezing. Aura of Death. At the start of each of the flesh meld’s turns, each creature within 5 feet of it must

succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6);{"diceNotation":"1d6", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Aura of Death", "rollDamageType":"necrotic"} necrotic damage and have the

Grim Champion of Pestilence

Monsters The Book of Many Things

, Aleron came to his ally’s aid. A second avatar of death appeared, and Aleron was slain; soon after, his Undead corpse crawled from Withered Vineyard, tainted with plague. Aleron resents his fellow

Spellcasting.Aleron was once a tiefling adventurer, but unlike so many victims of the Deck of Many Things, he never drew the Skull card. Instead, when one of his allies drew the card and faced the avatar of death

Fensir Devourer

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

Death Curse. When the fensir starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate, it releases a curse on those around it. Each creature within 30 feet of the fensir when it dies must

, the creature must succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving throw or take 11 (2d10);{"diceNotation":"2d10", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Death Curse", "rollDamageType":"psychic"} psychic damage

Bheur Hag

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

next turn. Horrific Feast. The hag feeds on the corpse of one enemy within reach that died within the past minute. Each creature of the hag’s choice that is within 60 feet and able to see the

bluish hue of a person who has frozen to death. The hag’s hair is white, and the hag is emaciated, with pale eyes surrounded by bruise-colored flesh. A bheur hag carries a twisted gray wooden

Cultist (Knights of the Black Sword)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Dark Devotion. The cultist has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. Icy Doom. When the cultist dies, its corpse freezes for 9 days, during which time it can’t be

have perished in the wilderness had Levistus not intervened on their behalf. The cultists’ stories are all the same: the archdevil reached out to them in their minds as they were freezing to death

Sir Godfrey Gwilym

Monsters Curse of Strahd

another humanoid corpse on the same plane of existence and regains all its hit points. While his soul is bodiless, a wish spell can be used to force the soul to go to the afterlife and not return. Turn

Black Rose Bearer

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

. Suffer not their presence; destroy rose bearers on sight.” —Common saying among the Knights of Solamnia A black rose bearer is a rotting corpse animated by necromancers on Krynn to serve

black rose bearer bursts into furious violence, attacking indiscriminately. A bearer’s black rose is an homage to the tyrannical Lord Soth, the most powerful death knight on Krynn, who was once a Solamnic Knight of the Order of the Rose.Poison

Star Spawn Larva Mage Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

: circle of death Return to Worms. When the larva mage is reduced to 0 hit points, it breaks apart into a swarm of insects in the same space. Unless the swarm is destroyed, the larva mage reforms from it

Cult Fanatic (Knights of the Black Sword)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

flame, thaumaturgy 1st level (4 slots): command, inflict wounds, shield of faith 2nd level (3 slots): hold person, spiritual weapon Icy Doom. When the cultist dies, its corpse freezes for 9 days

’ stories are all the same: the archdevil reached out to them in their minds as they were freezing to death, offering a second chance at life in exchange for their absolute devotion. After they

Boneless

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

them to death in their full-body grip. Boneless arise in a variety of forms. While the animate skins of specific creatures are the most common, foul spellcasters might create these horrors from the

. Whether through accident or depraved genius, some villains use one corpse to create two separate undead. Boneless might adorn the frames of other undead, like skeletons or zombies. The sight of a

Shadar-kai Shadow Dancer

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

their enemies from all angles with a flurry of entangling chains that hold fast and corrupt the flesh. When their quarry is helpless, they dispatch it and then loot the corpse for trinkets

, particularly anything colorful and lively to gaze at after they return to the gloom of the Shadowfell. Shadar-kai In the gloom of the Shadowfell live shadar-kai, elves whose ancestors served the Raven Queen

Archon of Falling Stars

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

makes a radiant spear attack, and then its mount can use its reaction to make a melee weapon attack. Return to Nyx (Costs 3 Actions). The archon causes a corpse it can see within 30 feet of it to burst

into a shower of radiant stars leaving no trace of it behind. Everything it is wearing or carrying remains. Each creature within 10 feet of the corpse when it bursts must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity

Frostmourn

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

keep them roaming the wilds for years after their murderers are slain. A frostmourn looks like a desiccated corpse mummified by exposure to bitter cold. It carries the marks of its death on its body: a

Kasimir Velikov

Monsters Curse of Strahd

a return to the old ways. Dreams of the Damned. Kasimir's sister, Patrina Velikovna, is sealed in the catacombs below Castle Ravenloft. Convinced that she was the concubine of the devil Strahd

, Kasimir and his fellow dusk elves stoned Patrina to death. As punishment for depriving him of his bride, Strahd butchered all the women in the dusk elf tribe, and Kasimir's ears were cut off to punish him

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