Homebrew Awakened Undead Species Details

Typically having no lands to call their own, undead with an awakened sense of self are typically perpetual foreigners, wanders in a land and often a time not their own. Compounding matters, most mortal cultures carry within them an instinctual fear of death and the dead, and many associate necromancy specifically with dark tidings. This forms a wall of (often well-earned) prejudice and hatred that sentient undead find themselves up against, and many undead choose to hide their necrotic natures behind clothes, masks, and urgent perfumes when journeying into civilization.

Depending on composition, humanoid undead typically range a wide gamut from 20 to 300 pounds, and may possess empty eyes, a colored flame-like magical animus in their sockets, or harrowed, surprisingly mortal eyes burning with an inner fire. Hair (if they have it at all) is usually lank, dark, and wrought with grime and grave-dirt that amount of cleansing will fully remove.

 

Awakened Undead Traits

- You are undead, but sentient: Unlike typical skeletons or zombies, you retain autonomy, personality, and purpose. - You were once alive: Your current form is shaped by your past life, which influences your physical traits and cultural background. - You are not mindless: You possess full cognitive function, allowing for complex decision-making, emotional depth, and social interaction. - You are not immortal: Though you don’t age and resist certain biological effects, you can still be harmed and killed like any adventurer. - You are not a monster: Mechanically, you are treated as a player character—not a creature to be hunted or feared by default.

Past Life

Choose one extra race, you were a part of this race before you died. your speed, height and appearance are al based of this race. Special movement (swimming, flying) is not influenced by your former race.

+1 constitution

+1 constitution

Bloodless

you are immune to poison and the poisoned conditioned.

pile o' bones

Bone Pile.

When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. If you do, you reduce yourself to a pile of bones, render yourself prone, and are considered to be under a similar effect to the feign death spell. While subject to this condition, you are unable to move or take actions other than using an action to end this effect. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

 

Let me know if you'd like it formatted for D&D Beyond or turned into a printable card for your DM screen setup.

 

Bone to pick.

Bone To Pick.

Whenever both of your hands are free (not including equipped shields), you may choose to use a free hand and a bonus action to remove one of your hands or arms. If you remove an arm, it counts as a weapon with the finesse property that deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage, and you have proficiency with your arm while you wield it. If you remove a hand, it counts as thieves’ tools or a similar set of simple tools while you hold it. In either case, removed hands and arms may be re-attached by using another bonus action.

 

 

 

Poison Resilience.

Poison Resilience.

You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.

 

Unnatural Vitality

Unnatural Vitality.

When you drop to 0 hit points, you may choose to stay conscious instead of falling unconscious. If you do, you gain temporary hit points equal to your total character level. In this state, you may take an action or bonus action on your turn, but not both, and you make death saving throws at the end of your turn as usual. You can remain in this state until you fail your first death saving throw (at which point you fall unconscious and continue making death saving throws until you stabilize or regain additional hit points) or die outright to massive damage. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

 

 

Dead Immortality.

Dead Immortality.

You do not age. Given time, the necromantic energies that sustain you will heal most wounds you take at approximately the same rate as a mortal, and your hit dice function as normal.

 

 

 

Undead.

Undead.

Raised from the dead as a being of undeath, you count as an undead creature for all spells and abilities that affect the undead. You are immune to disease and treat exhaustion as if it was one level less. You do not need to eat or breathe, but you can ingest food and drink if you wish. Instead of sleeping, you enter an inactive state for 4 hours each day. You do not dream in this state; you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal.

 

Darkvision.

Darkvision.

Through necromantic energy, you can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.

 

 

Previous Versions

Name Date Modified Views Adds Version Actions
9/2/2025 2:18:17 PM
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