Skeleton Assassin

Family: Skeletons

Medium undead, alignment of controller

Armor Class 14 (leather)
Hit Points 42 (8d8 +16)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
11 (+0)	16 (+3)	14 (+2)	6 (-2)	8 (-1)	5 (-3)

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +7
Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning
Damage Resistance(s) piercing, slashing damage
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisond, exhaustion
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 13
Languages none, but they understand the language of their controller
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Assassinate. During its first turn, the skeleton assassin has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit the assassin scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit.
• Evasion. If the skeleton assassin is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the assassin instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
• Sneak Attack. Once per turn, the skeleton assassin deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the assassin that isn’t incapacitated so long as the assassin doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
• Undead Nature. A skeleton assassin doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The skeleton assassin can make two attacks per turn.
• Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d8 + 0) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
• Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d8 + 0) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

ABOUT

Often roaming battlefields, skeletons haunt the bravest soldiers’ dreams. These creatures are of limited intelligence, only retaining whatever skills and classes the skeleton possessed in life. They strictly obey orders and will not act without them. Popular with necromancers, they are primarily used as guards and servants. They cannot perceive other undead, and never respond to them as a threat.

Skeletons must be summoned via necromantic sorcery, often from the corpses of fallen warriors. When summoned, the skeletons slough off whatever flesh still clings to them until only bones remain. Like constructs, skeletons obey commands to the best of their abilities and can follow complicated instructions if ‘the orders are something they would have understood in life. They cannot communicate in any way.

Skeletons are used for the most menial of household labor, as standing guards, or as a personal army of undead. They only perform these tasks with the skill level the skeleton possessed in life. Therefore, the necromancer who controls them can order warrior skeletons to cook and clean, and peasant skeletons to fight, but they will function poorly because they do not possess those skills.