Jiangshi

Medium undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 117 (18d8 + 36)
Speed 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 6 (-2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2)

Skills Athletics +6, Perception +4
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities blinded, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 14
Languages understands any languages it knew in life but can’t speak
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Special Traits

  • Blind Senses. The jiangshi can’t use its blindsight while deafened.
  • Keen Hearing. The jiangshi has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
  • Prayer of Magic Resistance. The jiangshi has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. A creature can take its action while within 5 feet of the jiangshi to rip the prayer off the jiangshi by succeeding on a DC 16 Strength check. The jiangshi loses this trait if its prayer scroll is removed.
  • Standing Leap. The jiangshi’s long jump is up to 30 feet and its high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.
  • Terrifying Appearance. When a creature that can see the jiangshi starts its turn within 30 feet of the jiangshi, it must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw, unless the jiangshi is incapacitated. On a failed save, the creature is frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the jiangshi’s Terrifying Appearance for the next 24 hours.
  • Undead Nature. The jiangshi doesn’t require air or sleep.

Actions

  • Multiattack. The jiangshi makes two claw attacks. It can use Life Drain in place of one claw attack.
  • Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage. The target is grappled (escape DC 14) if it is a Medium or smaller creature and the jiangshi doesn’t have two other creatures grappled.
  • Life Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature that is grappled by the jiangshi, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 14 (4d6) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or its hp maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hp maximum to 0. A humanoid slain in this way rises 24 hours later as a jiangshi, unless the humanoid is restored to life, its body is bathed in vinegar before burial, or its body is destroyed.

About

Its sickly-green, glowing skin covered in tattered robes, the undead creature lurches forward with a stiff, hopping motion, and baring claw-like hands. A thin strip of paper covered in tiny writing hangs from its hat.

Inauspicious Burials. A jiangshi is created when burial rites are carried out improperly. Unable to leave the body, the tortured soul re-animates the corpse after rigor mortis has set in, giving the jiangshi its rigid posture and nickname as a “hopping vampire.” A jiangshi has a burial prayer written on a small scroll stitched to its forehead or hat, warding it against magic.

Bizarre Gaits. Stiff-limbed and hunched, jiangshi move around by hopping, rather than walking, in search of living prey. It can make enormous leaps to catch a foe, and, when it grabs hold of a victim, it sucks out the creature’s breath. Jiangshi are blind, detecting living victims by listening for the sounds of breathing. It is possible to remain undetected by a jiangshi by holding one’s breath and keeping very still.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Creature Codex. © 2018 Open Design LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Dan Dillon, Richard Green, James Haeck, Chris Harris, Jeremy Hochhalter, James Introcaso, Chris Lockey, Shawn Merwin, and Jon Sawatsky.

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