Tulpa

This spectral humanoid’s shape and features closely resemble the humanoid it follows. Its eyes swirl with star-like lights, and its skin is loose and pale. Overly large black claws tip its long fingers.

Medium undead, neutral evil

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 12)
Speed fly speed equal to its creator’s current speed; it can hover

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 9 (-1)

Damage Vulnerabilities radiant
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages the languages spoken by its creator
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Special Traits

  • Incorporeal Movement. The tulpa can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
  • Rise Again. Within a day of being slain, the tulpa reforms within 500 feet of its creator. It doesn’t reform if its creator is slain, or if the creator’s mental disturbance is healed. The tulpa is immune to all damage dealt to it by its creator.
  • It Follows. The tulpa always remains within 500 feet if its creator. As long as the tulpa is within 500 feet of its creator, the creator has disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws.

Actions

  • Multiattack. The tulpa makes two black claw attacks.
  • Black Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) necrotic damage.
  • Psychic Blast. Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d10) psychic damage.
  • Imposing Dread (1/day). The tulpa uses its action to fill a 40-foot radius around itself with dread-inducing psychic energy. Each creature, other than the tulpa’s creator, within that area must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the tulpa until the end of its next turn and become cursed. A creature with an Intelligence of 5 or lower can’t be cursed. While cursed by the tulpa, that creature’s own thoughts turn ever more dark and brooding. Its sense of hope fades, and shadows seem overly large and ominous. The cursed creature can repeat the saving throw whenever it finishes a long rest, ending the effect on itself on a success. If not cured within three days, the cursed creature manifests its own tulpa.

About

Manifestations. Tulpa are a coalescence of ill-will and obsessive thoughts. Brought into the Material Plane from pure negative thoughts, the tulpa is effectively immortal – remaining in the world until its creator ceases thinking dark thoughts. The tulpa heeds no commands and follows its creator at a distance, haunting its creator and attacking those who get too close.

Beacons of Darkness. While there is never more than one tulpa associated with a single creature, a tulpa’s birth and continued existence draws malevolent things to it. Lesser undead and beastly evil are attracted to the tulpa, and its creator may regularly be pursued by a growing host of darkness.

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.