both before death corpse rules

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

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

Levistus, the archdevil who rules Stygia, the sixth layer of the Nine Hells, from the confines of an ice prison from which he cannot escape. Most of the cultists are Icewind Dale natives who would

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

","rollDamageType":"piercing"} piercing damage.The Knights of the Black Sword are a secret society of cultists devoted to Levistus, the archdevil who rules Stygia, the sixth layer of the Nine Hells, from 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Orcus

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

will: animate dead (as an action), blight, speak with dead 1 charge each: circle of death, finger of death 2 charges: power word killOrcus can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options

Tail or Necrotic Bolt attack. Creeping Death (Costs 2 Actions). Orcus chooses a point on the ground that he can see within 100 feet of him. A cylinder of swirling necrotic energy 60 feet tall and

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

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

Orcus Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

with dead. Alternatively, he can expend 1 or more of the wand’s charges to cast one of the following spells from it: circle of death (1 charge), finger of death (1 charge), or power word kill (2

. A Taste of Undeath. Orcus casts chill touch (17th level). Creeping Death (Costs 2 Actions). Orcus chooses a point on the ground that he can see within 100 feet of him. A cylinder of swirling

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

Shadar-kai

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Material Plane to forge their own destinies. Once shadar-kai were Fey like the rest of their elven kin; now they exist in a state between life and death, thanks to being transformed by the Shadowfell

race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score

Avarice

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Icy Doom. When Avarice dies, her corpse freezes for 9 days, during which time it can’t be thawed, harmed by fire, animated, or raised from the dead. Special Equipment. Avarice wields a staff

challenge, even when the odds are clearly stacked against her. Seeing other wizards as a threat, paranoia rules her life. Avarice has been a member of the Arcane Brotherhood for almost two years. She

Occultant Abacus

Magic Items Acquisitions Incorporated

finish a long rest. Ways to Read the Kill d6 Reading 1 Using a tiny bellows to pump one last breath into a corpse. 2 Reading the entrails with special reading-the-entrails

death of a creature has unintended consequences. Within seven days of a creature’s death, you can use your occultant abacus to divine ways to reverse or mitigate events resulting from that death. As

Spawn of Kyuss

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Orcus who plundered corpses from necropolises to create the first spawn of Kyuss. Even centuries after Kyuss’s death, his malign disciples continue performing the horrific rites he perfected

animates the corpse, transforming it into a spawn of Kyuss, which breeds more worms. Spawn of Kyuss are expressions of Orcus’s intent to replace all life with undeath. Left to its own devices, a

Living Portent

Monsters The Book of Many Things

minions to avert its own demise. Khirad, the Star of Secrets. A blue-white star whose gifts grant insight but also reveal terrible truths. Zhudun, the Corpse Star. A dead star that whispers of the

power to defy death. RadiantChange Shape. The living portent magically transforms into a Humanoid while retaining its game statistics (other than its size and Brilliance trait). The transformation ends if the living portent is reduced to 0 hit points or uses a bonus action to end it.

Ulitharid

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, taking a group of mind flayers with it, and moves to another location to form a new colony. After the death of the ulitharid’s body, a special process transforms its brain into a new elder brain for

the colony. This process doesn’t work on the brain of an ulitharid that dies a natural death, as such brains are too decrepit to be used. Instead, each ulitharid carries a psionically enhanced

Memory Web

Monsters Quests from the Infinite Staircase

can continue to feed on a corpse’s memories for days after its death. If a memory web is slain, any memories it consumed over the last day are discharged from its body in a telepathic deluge

Lord Soth

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

Medium or smaller Humanoid killed by this damage, as well as every corpse of such a creature within the sphere, becomes a skeleton (see the Monster Manual) under Soth’s control. The skeleton

level) 1/day: banishment (cast at 6th level) Word of Death (1/Day). Soth points at a creature he can see within 60 feet of himself and magically commands it to die. The target must make a DC 19

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

, a god of death and memory. They were brought to that realm in ages past, so long ago that they’re now adapted to its cheerless environment, both physically and mentally. Eons of exposure to

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

underbelly of civilization, and you have survived up to this point by flouting the rules and regulations of society. Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Stealth Tool Proficiencies: One

realizing the connection. You got the Guild to back off demands for your death by offering to make amends by working for the criminals, but even so the kingpin still plots a personal revenge. 2 The

Death in Prismeer

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

determined by rolling a d8 and referring to the Death Effects table. Death Effects d8 Effect 1 The creature’s corpse turns to stone. 2 The creature’s corpse decays at an accelerated rate, becoming

Death in Prismeer Whenever a creature—including a player character—dies in Prismeer, its death has a chance of triggering one of several magical effects put in place by Zybilna. The effect is

Bavlorna Blightstraw

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

thoughts, dispel magic, finger of death, glibness, locate creature, mass suggestion. Once a spell from this list has been cast, no member of the coven can cast that shared spell again until the next

. Bavlorna can have only one creature swallowed at a time. If Bavlorna dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained and can escape from the corpse using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

gather and celebrate, dwell the followers of Yurtrus, the god of disease and death, and Shargaas, the god of darkness and the unknown. Orcs too weak for battle (because of bodily weakness, malformation

, injury, or age) often join these cults instead of facing daily humiliation, exile, or death. Serving as the bridge between the two parts of the tribe are the priestesses of Luthic, the orc goddess who

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

mock folk who rely on society’s structures or rules to maintain power. Survival of the Fittest Among goliaths, any adult who can’t contribute to the tribe is expelled. A lone goliath has

away in the night to seek the cold will of fate. In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in

D&D Beyond

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