Homebrew Dullahan Species Details

Dullahans are restless spirits of the dead, bound to the mortal world by violent ends, unfinished vengeance, or ancient curses. Often appearing as headless riders or warriors bearing their severed heads beneath their arms, these undead beings are harbingers of death and ill fortune. Their bodies are sustained by dark supernatural forces, and their presence often inspires dread in those who encounter them. Though many are driven by an insatiable hatred of the living, others retain fragments of their former identities, memories, and ambitions.

Dullahans possess an unnatural connection to death and the passage between worlds. They are often accompanied by spectral steeds, and their movements may be marked by the sound of phantom hooves, rattling armor, or the tolling of distant bells. Some wield the weapons that slew them in life, while others carry enchanted blades capable of severing more than flesh and bone. Their severed heads are not necessarily a weakness; many retain their senses and supernatural awareness, allowing them to perceive the world in ways that living creatures cannot.

Though their origins and temperaments vary, dullahans are defined by the circumstances of their deaths and the curses that bind them to existence. Some embrace their monstrous nature, becoming fearsome executioners and agents of vengeance, while others struggle to reclaim the purpose and identity they possessed in life. Whether wandering the world in search of retribution or pursuing ambitions that death itself could not extinguish, dullahans occupy an uneasy place between the living and the dead.

Dullahan Traits

Creature Type: Fey
Size: Medium (about 7–8 feet tall)
Speed: 35 feet

As a Dullahan, you have these special traits.

Revelation of Doom

You carry a crippling spiritual curse which sows terror and doom when inflicted upon others. As a bonus action, choose a creature within 120 feet of you that you can see. The creature becomes Doomed for 1 hour. A Doomed creature cannot regain hit points. You ignore that creature's damage resistances when dealing damage to it and whenever it makes a D20 test it rolls 1d4 and subtracts the number rolled from its result.

When you reach level 5, your Curse becomes more potent. Once per round, when the Doomed creature is hit with an attack, its speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.

Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.

Unseely Steed

You know the spell Find Steed and may cast it as a ritual at 2nd level without any components. The Steed is always a Fey, always appears dark and foreboding, and matches your doomish Dullahan demeanor. The steed does not need to eat, drink, or sleep.

Powerful Build

You have Advantage on any ability check you make to end the Grappled condition. You also count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity.