Search Results
All Results
Characters
Compendium
Spells
Items
Monsters
Vehicles
Forums
Returning 35 results for 'dead instead are blades'.
Equipment
The double-bladed scimitar is the signature weapon of Valenar elves. A haft of fine wood supports a long, curving blade on either end. Forged with techniques honed over centuries, these blades are
to prove they’re worthy to wield it.
Special. If you attack with a double-bladed scimitar as part of the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action immediately after to make a melee attack with it. This attack deals 1d4 slashing damage on a hit, instead of 2d4.
Spells
Player’s Handbook
You mentally contact a demigod, the spirit of a long-dead sage, or some other knowledgeable entity from another plane. Contacting this otherworldly intelligence can break your mind. When you cast
question). If a one-word answer would be misleading, the DM might instead offer a short phrase as an answer.
On a failed save, you take 6d6 Psychic damage and have the Incapacitated condition until you finish a Long Rest. A Greater Restoration spell cast on you ends this effect.
Spells
Player’s Handbook
, replicating its game statistics and possessions. The principal difference is the addition of a silvery cord that trails from between the shoulder blades of the astral form. The cord fades from view after
spell ends for all the targets if you take a Magic action to dismiss it.
When the spell ends for a target who isn’t dead, the target reappears in its body and exits the state of suspended animation.
Monsters
Monster Manual
Legendary Resistance (4/Day, or 5/Day in Lair). If the lich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Spirit Jar. If destroyed, the lich reforms in 1d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10
Hand, Prestidigitation 2/Day Each: Animate Dead, Dimension Door, Plane Shift 1/Day Each: Chain Lightning, Finger of Death, Power Word Kill, ScryingProtective Magic. The lich casts Counterspell or Shield
Monsters
Monster Manual
Legendary Resistance (3/Day, or 4/Day in Lair). If the mummy fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The mummy has Advantage on saving throws against spells and
":"1d20+9", "rollType":"to hit", "rollAction":"Spellcasting"} to hit with spell attacks):
At Will: Dispel Magic, Thaumaturgy 1/Day Each: Animate Dead, Harm, Insect Plague (level 7 version)Whirlwind of
Monsters
Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
critical hit. On a success, the skeletal knight drops to 1 hit point instead.
Unusual Nature. The skeletal knight doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.Multiattack. The skeletal knight makes
blades deal lingering wounds that sap their victims’ life force and leave blackened scars even after magical healing.Poison
Monsters
Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse
Immutable Form. The kolyarut is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
Legendary Resistance (4/Day). If the kolyarut fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic
–6: Push. If the target is Large or smaller, the target is pushed up to 15 feet away from the kolyarut.
Edict of Blades (Recharge 5–6);{"diceNotation":"1d6", "rollType":"recharge", "rollAction
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
Unusual Nature. The zombie doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.Javelin. Melee Weapon Attack: +1;{"diceNotation":"1d20+1","rollType":"to hit
Vellynne Harpell has Icewind kobold guides in her employ, including a pair that died and were turned into zombies using animate dead spells. The cold climate helps to preserve their dead flesh.Poison
Monsters
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
Unusual Nature. The zombie doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.Multiattack. The zombie makes two Slam attacks
":"Flesh Entomb","rollDamageType":"bludgeoning"} bludgeoning damage, and if the target is a Large or smaller creature, it becomes entombed in dead flesh.
A creature entombed in the dead flesh is
Monsters
Princes of the Apocalypse
Oreioth dies, he can use an action on his next turn to cast animate dead on that humanoid’s corpse, instead of using the spell’s normal casting time.Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +3
(3 slots): crown of madness, misty step
3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, vampiric touch
Swift Animation (Recharges after a Long Rest). When a living Medium or Small humanoid within 30 feet of
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Fire Absorption. Whenever the golem is subjected to fire damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the fire damage dealt.
Immutable Form. The golem is immune to
beneath its feet. Iron golems wield enormous blades to extend their reach, and all can belch clouds of deadly poison.
An iron golem's body is smelted with rare tinctures and admixtures. Though other
Species
Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
ground and faced your ancestors, and twenty fell before his singing blades. You are no Dhakaani of old, and a mere twenty of you will bring no honor to the Taeri.”
The warlord hissed in fury, and
into the eyes of the stunned onlookers. She smiled behind her spirit veil, counting the blades arrayed against her.
“But forty will.”
Elven culture began on the distant continent of Xen
Species
Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
ground and faced your ancestors, and twenty fell before his singing blades. You are no Dhakaani of old, and a mere twenty of you will bring no honor to the Taeri.”
The warlord hissed in fury, and
into the eyes of the stunned onlookers. She smiled behind her spirit veil, counting the blades arrayed against her.
“But forty will.”
Elven culture began on the distant continent of Xen
Monsters
Dragon of Icespire Peak
Brave. Don-Jon has advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Not Dead Yet (Recharges after a Long Rest). If damage reduces Don-Jon to 0 hit points, he drops to 1 hit point instead and
Monsters
Storm King's Thunder
: dancing lights, mage hand, message, thaumaturgy
1/day each: augury (cast as 1 action), bestow curse, cordon of arrows, detect magic, speak with dead, spirit guardiansThe Uthgardt are suspicious and
resentful of most kinds of magic. Seldom do they choose to become shamans. Instead, the role is thrust upon those who are born with a strong connection to the spirit world. To be a shaman is to stand
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Orcus fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Orcus has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects
.
Master of Undeath. Orcus can cast animate dead (at will) and create undead (3/day). He chooses the level at which the spells are cast, and the creatures created by them remain under his control
Monsters
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the juggernaut fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Regeneration. The juggernaut regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn. If the juggernaut
weapons with which they can slaughter prey. Sharp iron fences, crushing stalagmites and blades of glass all conveniently appear in order to aid a juggernaut’s brutality. Every juggernaut considers
Magic Items
The Book of Many Things
This enormous telescope allows you to view distant celestial objects, including stars, Wildspace systems, and Astral Sea phenomena like the cities of deities or the petrified husks of dead gods
at the intended destination. On a failed check, a mishap occurs instead. The DM rolls on the Telescope Travel Mishaps table to determine the mishap or chooses a mishap that’s good for the
Orcus
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
Learn More
Monsters
Out of the Abyss
Wand of Orcus. The wand has 7 charges, and any of its properties that require a saving throw have a save DC of 18. While holding it, Orcus can use an action to cast animate dead, blight, or speak
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
Monsters
The Book of Many Things
conjures a churning storm of spectral blades that fills a 20-foot cube centered on a point it can see within 120 feet of itself. The storm lasts until the start of the champion’s next turn. While the
incapacitated condition, the target instead takes 11 (2d10);{"diceNotation":"2d10", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Induce Violence", "rollDamageType":"psychic"} psychic damage.
Menace (Costs 2 Actions
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures
connected to one another.
False Appearance. If the yggdrasti is motionless and rooted in the ground at the start of combat, it looks just like a dead tree and has advantage on its initiative roll. Moreover
Conduit. If the yggdrasti is subjected to lightning damage, it is unhurt, and the lightning damage is instead divided evenly among all creatures it is grappling. In addition, the yggdrasti regains one
Monsters
The Book of Many Things
’ will. These living portents are Aberrations instead of Celestials and are typically chaotic evil. They replace any radiant damage in their stat block with necrotic or psychic damage (DM&rsquo
;s choice). Their spells might also be different. Some known Elder Evils include the following:
Acamar. A dead star that consumes other stars or sidereal bodies it encounters.
Caiphon, the Dream
Monsters
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If Aphemia fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Aphemia has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical
travelers and settlements.
Cruel, corpse-eating creatures, harpies endlessly seek their next meal, careless of whether it comes from the living or the dead. With equal zeal, these vicious scavengers set
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the specter fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The specter has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical
essence to the dead body, giving the corpse the semblance of life as a rider. The two function as a single creature, more powerful for their unnatural union.
Humans of Eldraine view specters as
Monsters
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
Unusual Nature. The zombie doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Viral Aura. Any creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the
Manual) 1 minute later. The zombie acts immediately after the plague spreader in the initiative count.Among the undead, a lone zombie ranks far from the most menacing. The horror of the shambling dead lies
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
her divine spark vanishes. She is dead until the next winter solstice, when she reappears at full health in a cold, remote location of her choosing.
Frigid Aura. So long as Auril has at least 1 hit
to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Auril has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Unusual Nature. Auril doesn’t require air, food, drink, or
Monsters
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the lich fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Regeneration. The lich regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the lich takes fire or
, ray of sickness
2nd level (3 slots): Melf's acid arrow, ray of enfeeblement, spider climb, web
3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, bestow curse, fear, vampiric touch
4th level (3 slots): blight
Monsters
Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
Voice from the Past (1/Day). The professor can cast the contact other plane spell to contact a long-dead spirit, using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability.Multiattack. The professor makes two
saving throw or be restrained for 1 minute, but the restrained target’s speed is halved instead of being reduced to 0. At the start of each of its turns, the restrained target takes 4 (1d8
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures
advantage on Dexterity saving throws, and the rider can force an attack targeted at its mount to target the rider instead.
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the rider to 0 hit points, it must make
the wilds? Beware the dead riders who serve the Shadow Queen.”
—Scalan, Edgewall innkeeper
PoisonNecrotic
Monsters
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
until the start of the Returned’s next turn. If the target is missing any of its hit points, it instead takes 17 (2d12 + 2);{"diceNotation":"2d12+2","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Underworld
Bolt","rollDamageType":"necrotic"} necrotic damage.Although the dead typically recall little of their lives, some have an obsession with magic that survives both death and rebirth as a Returned. These
Monsters
Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
occupied and uses the cradle’s initiative count.
Legendary Resistance (5/Day). If the cradle fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The cradle has advantage on
from harm it might cause.
If the scion is threatened, it unleashes elemental might like few other forces in the multiverse can muster: blades of lightning, boulder-sized hailstones, and a storm of
Monsters
The Book of Many Things
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the infiltrator fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Veiled Presence. The infiltrator’s AC includes its Wisdom modifier, and the infiltrator
illusory duplicate of itself in its space, then teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, to an unoccupied space within 15 feet of itself. The image flings illusory blades at two
Monsters
Tales from the Yawning Portal
can choose to succeed instead.
Rejuvenation. If Var is destroyed but his phylactery remains intact, Var gains a new body in 1d10;{"diceNotation":"1d10","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Rejuvenation
next 24 hours.After failing in an earlier task for the Red Wizards, the lich Tarul Var is sequestered within the Doomvault (Dead in Thay), where he tries to avoid the attention of Szass Tam
Monsters
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Jarad fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Jarad has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects
level (4 slots): entangle, ray of sickness, sleep
2nd level (3 slots): Melf's acid arrow, ray of enfeeblement, spider climb, web
3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, plant growth, vampiric touch
4th level
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
.
Legendary Resistance (2/Day in This Form). If Auril fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Auril has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical
her to explode and die. A mephit that dies in this way does not use its Death Burst. Instead, each creature within 10 feet of the exploding mephit must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking