Homebrew Awakened Skeleton Species Details

Ex-servitors of powerful necromantic entities, Awakened Skeletons come into being in a number of variable ways, typically by infusing too much magic into a given skeleton or leaving a single skeleton alone for long periods of time. The result of either of these actions is the same, the now awakened skeleton ultimately breaks free of its old master's control, and rapidly begins to develop a personality of its own. Sometimes it models itself upon its old master, whether as a paragon of what it never wants to be, or as a goal to surpass. 

Awakened Skeletons are grant unique powers based upon the kinds of magic invested into them. These magics coalesce into the Awaken Skeleton's "Soul." There are three cataloged variants of the Awakened Skeletons, Arcane, Armored, and Shadow Souls. Each type of "soul" grants the Skeleton unique benefits, and ultimately, it's up to the spellcaster that created the skeleton what kind of magic the skeleton is vested within it.

You have now Awakened, what shall your path hold for you? 

Awakened Skeleton Traits

Freed of control, your initial creation has left you with a series of racial traits, detailed below.

Ability Score Increase

Your constitution score increases by 2.

Age

As an Awakened Skeleton, you are effective immortal, and ageless. Your behavior may betray this, as people may be able to determine your age based on your behavior.

Alignment

Awakened Skeletons typically favor lawful alignments, due to being raised for a specific purpose. However, skeletons that reject that lifestyle completely may turn neutral or chaotic as they they seek to find their own path.

Size

Awakened Skeletons are typically made from the bones of humanoids, making your size medium.

Speed

You have a base walking speed of 30ft.

Darkvision

Though you have no eyes, the magic fueling your existence also grants you the ability to see through the darkness. You have darkvision for 60ft.

Organless

Since you have no actual organs to poison, you are immune to poison damage, and are immune to the poisoned condition. Other benefits of lacking organs are your immunity to disease, and you do not require food, though you can consume food if you so wish. 

Dead Resemblance

Being dead has a few benefits, you only need to sleep for 4 hours to gain the benefits of a long rest. While sleeping, you appear dead to all outward inspection and to spells. 

Undead Nature

Due to your unique creation as an entity of magic and undeath, you are considered both a Humanoid and an Undead.

Free Willed

You are filled with strong magical energy, granting you a measure of resilience against effects that turn the undead. You have advantage on any save made against an effect that turns undead.

Arcane Soul

You were created with the ability to use magic, as such, you are known as an "Arcane Soul". Awakened Skeletons that are Arcane Souls typically have higher intellects, and if granted enough time, can master magic like others.

Ability Score Increase

Choose either your Intelligence or Charisma score, the chosen score increases by 1.

Arcane Dabbling

Your creation left you with a shard of power, a reminiscent gift of your creator. You learn one cantrip of your choice from the Warlock spell list. Your spellcasting modifier is based your charisma modifier.

Arcane Surge

You have learned how to sacrifice some of your vitality to bolster the strength of the attack. When you make an attack and deal damage, you can choose to expend a hit die and deal an extra die of damage on that attack. 

Once you do this, you cannot do so until you take a short rest. You regain all hit dice expended this way when you take a long rest.

Languages

You know common, and one exotic language of your choice.

Shadow Soul

Your creation was particularly fueled by shadow magic, granting you an uncanny ability to be unseen when you need to be. Shadow souls typically are created for subterfuge and espionage, and can make deadly foes.

Ability Score Increase

Choose either your Dexterity or Wisdom, that score increases by 1.

Bend Darkness

As a Shadow Soul, you can create darkness to shroud yourself. You can cast darkness, once using this trait. Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier for the spell. You regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest.

Shadow Sight

Your eyes have been enhanced by the shadow magic within you, as such, you can see in both magical and nonmagical darkness for 60ft.

Languages

Due to your purpose as an agent of espionage, you know both Common and a language of your choice.

Armored Soul

You were purely created for combat. As a armored soul, you are granted a measure of resilience and are able to shrug of attacks that would decimate those squishy mortals. 

Ability Score Increase

Choose either your Strength or Constitution score, that score increases by 1.

Resilient Creation

Your were created with the knowledge that you would be damaged.  You are resistant to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

Languages

You know Common.

Awakened Skeleton Traits

Reanimated Skeletons share certain racial traits as a result of their infernal descent.

Ability Score Increase

Your Intelligence score increases by 1, and your Charisma score increases by 2.

Age

Tieflings mature at the same rate as humans but live a few years longer.

Size

You are the size of the humanoid you were reanimated from. 

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to your reanimation by a necromancer, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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 gray.

Necrotic Resistance

You have resistance to Necrotic damage.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Infernal.