Ghoul, Necrophage Ghast

Family: Ghouls

Medium undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 8 (?1)

Skills Arcana +5, Investigation +5
Damage Resistances necrotic
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Special Traits

  • Necrophage Stench. Any living creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of the necrophage ghast must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or have disadvantage on all saving throws against spells cast by any necrophage ghast for 1 minute. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the stench of all necrophage ghasts for the next 24 hours.
  • Turning Defiance. The necrophage ghast and any undead within 30 feet of it have advantage on saving throws against effects that turn undead.
  • Spellcasting. The necrophage ghast is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The necrophage ghast has the following wizard spells prepared:

Actions

  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage.
  • Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage. If the target is a creature other than an undead, it must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

About

This creature’s stench precedes it, but, the keen look of intelligence in its eye and arcane sigils on its arm promise a more cunning and dangerous foe.

An Erudite Threat. Unlike typical ghouls and ghasts, the necrophage ghast possesses a keen intelligence that thirsts for arcane knowledge, especially the magic that can return the dead to life and force it to serve.

Learn, then Conquer. The necrophage ghast seeks out knowledge, spending days, weeks, or even months in solitary research to track down and learn a new bit of necromantic magic. Afterwards, they are eager to put their newfound knowledge into practice. All their research is for naught if they cannot gather enough corpses to perform their experiments.

Arcane Stench. Through careful experimentation, necrophage ghasts have engineered their natural stench into a magical aura that causes those with weak constitutions to be more susceptible to their arcane magic.

Hungry Dead Nature. The necrophage ghast requires no air or sleep.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Empire of the Ghouls © 2020 Open Design LLC; Wolfgang Baur, Richard Green, Jeff Lee, Christopher Lockey, Kelly Pawlik, Mike Welham.