Dragon Zombie Template

The corpse of any true dragon can be animated as a dragon zombie. When a true dragon becomes a dragon zombie, it retains its statistics except as described below. The dragon zombie loses all traits that assume the dragon has a living body, such as Amphibious, or has particular knowledge, such as Spellcasting. The dragon might retain or lose any or all of its lair actions or inherit new ones, as the GM sees fit.

Type. The zombie’s type changes to undead, and it no longer requires air, food, drink, or sleep.

Alignment. The zombie’s alignment changes to neutral evil.

Speed. Reduce all of the zombie’s movement speeds by 10 feet.

Ability Scores. The zombie’s Dexterity score changes to 6 (–2), its Intelligence score changes to 3 (–4), its Wisdom score changes to 8 (–1), and its Charisma score changes to 5 (–3).

Skill Proficiencies. The zombie loses all skill proficiencies.

Damage Immunities. The zombie is immune to poison damage.

Condition Immunities. The zombie is immune to the poisoned condition.

Languages. The zombie understands the languages it knew in life but can’t speak.

New Traits

Undead Fortitude

If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hp, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hp instead.

New Actions

• Bite. If the zombie deals any damage type in addition to piercing with its bite, change that additional damage type to necrotic.
• Rotting Breath. Any damage-dealing breath weapon possessed by the dragon zombie deals necrotic damage instead of its original damage type. A humanoid reduced to 0 hp by this damage dies, and it rises as a zombie and acts immediately after the dragon zombie in the initiative count. The new zombie is under the control of the creature controlling the dragon zombie.