UA - Reanimator

Reassemble Corpses to Raise the Dead

Reanimators defy the laws of nature in pursuit of gruesome experiment. These grim Artificers stitch together servants from disparate corpses, use foul magic to strengthen the living, and transform the art of necromancy into a terrifying science.

 

Jolt to Life

3rd-level Reanimator feature

When you cast Spare the Dying, you can modify the spell so that it sends a jolt of electricity through the target, reviving it. The target regains 1 Hit Point, and each creature in a 10-foot Emanation originating from the target makes a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC, taking Lightning damage equal to 1d4 plus half your Artificer level (round up) on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.

You can modify the spell this way a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Reanimator Spells

3rd-level Reanimator feature

When you reach an Artificer level specified in the Reanimator Spells table, you thereafter always have the listed spells prepared.

 

Due to DnDBeyond publishing limitations, you'll need to select each of these spells in the drop down boxes here. Choose the spells in the same order as the table.

 

Reanimator Spells

Artificer Level	Spell
3rd	false life, spare the dying, witch bolt
5th	blindness/deafness, enhance ability
9th	animate dead, lightning bolt
13th	blight, death ward
17th	antilife shell, raise dead

Reanimated Companion

3rd-level Reanimator feature

Using Tinker’s Tools or another type of Artisan’s Tools with which you have proficiency, you can take a Magic action to create a Reanimated Companion (see the stat block) through the power of necromancy and science. The companion manifests in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you. You determine the companion’s appearance; your choices don’t affect the companion’s game statistics.

The companion is friendly to you and your allies and obeys you. It lasts until you finish a Long Rest or until you take a Magic action to dismiss it early, at which point it harmlessly collapses into a pile of viscera. It immediately drops to 0 Hit Points and dies (triggering its Death Burst trait) if you die.

Once you create a companion, you can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest or expend a spell slot to create one. You can have only one companion at a time and can’t create one while your companion is present.

The Companion in Combat. In combat, the companion acts during your turn. It can move and take its Reaction on its own, but the only action it takes is the Dodge action unless you take a Bonus Action to command it to take an action. If you have the Incapacitated condition, the companion acts on its own and isn’t limited to the Dodge action.

Strange Modifications

5th-level Reanimator feature

Whenever you create a Reanimated Companion, it gains one of the following options of your choice; choose when you create the companion.

Arcane Conduit. You can cast spells as though you were in the companion’s space, but you must use your own senses. Once per turn, when you cast an Artificer spell from the Evocation or Necromancy schools and deal damage while your companion is within 120 feet of you, you can add your Intelligence modifier to one damage roll of that spell.

Ferocity. When you command your companion to take the Dreadful Swipe action, the companion can use it twice.

Arcane Conduit

Whenever you create a Reanimated Companion, it gains one of the following options of your choice; choose when you create the companion.

Arcane Conduit. You can cast spells as though you were in the companion’s space, but you must use your own senses. Once per turn, when you cast an Artificer spell from the Evocation or Necromancy schools and deal damage while your companion is within 120 feet of you, you can add your Intelligence modifier to one damage roll of that spell.

Ferocity. When you command your companion to take the Dreadful Swipe action, the companion can use it twice.

Ferocity

5th-level Reanimator feature

Whenever you create a Reanimated Companion, it gains one of the following options of your choice; choose when you create the companion.

Arcane Conduit. You can cast spells as though you were in the companion’s space, but you must use your own senses. Once per turn, when you cast an Artificer spell from the Evocation or Necromancy schools and deal damage while your companion is within 120 feet of you, you can add your Intelligence modifier to one damage roll of that spell.

Ferocity. When you command your companion to take the Dreadful Swipe action, the companion can use it twice.

Improved Reanimation

9th-level Reanimator feature

You experiment and alter your companion further. Whenever you create a Reanimated Companion, it gains one of the following options of your choice; choose when you create the companion.

Bloated. The companion becomes Large or Medium (your choice). Whenever it hits a Large or smaller creature with its Dreadful Swipe action, that creature can also be pushed up to 10 feet away from the companion. Additionally, you can add your Intelligence modifier to the damage dealt by the companion’s Death Burst.

Gaunt. The companion’s Speed increases to 45 feet, and it gains a Climb Speed equal to its Speed. It can climb difficult surfaces, including along ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. In addition, whenever a creature of your choice starts its turn within a 10-foot Emanation originating from your companion, the creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or have the Frightened condition until the start of its next turn.

Moist. The companion gains a Swim Speed equal to its Speed. In addition, whenever the companion is hit by an attack roll from a creature within 10 feet of it, the attacker takes Acid damage equal to your Intelligence modifier.

 

Bloated

The companion becomes Large or Medium (your choice). Whenever it hits a Large or smaller creature with its Dreadful Swipe action, that creature can also be pushed up to 10 feet away from the companion. Additionally, you can add your Intelligence modifier to the damage dealt by the companion’s Death Burst.

 

Gaunt

The companion’s Speed increases to 45 feet, and it gains a Climb Speed equal to its Speed. It can climb difficult surfaces, including along ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. In addition, whenever a creature of your choice starts its turn within a 10-foot Emanation originating from your companion, the creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or have the Frightened condition until the start of its next turn.

 

Moist

The companion gains a Swim Speed equal to its Speed. In addition, whenever the companion is hit by an attack roll from a creature within 10 feet of it, the attacker takes Acid damage equal to your Intelligence modifier.

 

Promethean Reanimation

15th-level Reanimator feature

You have mastered the science of revivification, granting you the following benefits.

Facilitated Revival. When you cast Revivify or Raise Dead, the cost of any material components needed for that spell is halved.

Improved Companion. The damage of your Reanimated Companion’s Death Burst increases to 4d6. Necrotic damage dealt by your companion ignores resistance.

Life Transfer. You can siphon the animating magic of your companion to bolster yourself. When you take damage, you can take a Reaction to cause your Reanimated Companion to drop to 0 Hit Points. The companion immediately dies (triggering its Death Burst trait), and you regain a number of Hit Points equal to your Artificer level.