Zombie, Blood

Family: Zombies

Medium undead, neutral evil

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
13 (+1)	6 (-2)	16 (+3)	3 (-4)	6 (-2)	5 (-3)

Armor Class 8
Hit Points 22 (3d8 + 9)
Speed 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
Saving Throws Wisdom +0
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages understands the languages it knew in life but can’t speak
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Special Traits

• Rage. The same blood barnacle rage that led to many blood zombies’ first death still overtakes them in undeath. While engaged in combat, a blood zombie rages at the start of their second turn. This rage lasts for 1 minute, during which they gain the following benefits: they have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, they get +2 damage to their melee weapon attacks, and they gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
• Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the blood zombie to 0 hit points, 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 hit point instead.
• Wood Bane. Blood zombies have a supernatural power to warp any wood they touch or that touches them. When the blood zombie is struck by a wooden weapon, or a weapon primarily made of wood (such as a spear), then the weapon imposes disadvantage on further attack rolls until it is repaired. This ability also warps doors, wrecks wagon wheels, causes ships to spring leaks, and similar effects on wooden objects. A creature may notice this ability with a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check if the blood zombie is struck by a wooden ranged weapon or touches a wooden object while within 60 feet of the creature.

Actions

• Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage.

Tactics

Blood zombies usually rely on slam attacks, but some remember enough about their past to make use of melee weapons. A blood zombie wielding a weapon simply replaces the damage with the appropriate damage roll (along with the Strength and rage bonus) and damage type.

Blood zombies are mindless. Nothing draws them as strongly as the warmth of a living being, though, and they attack any nearby.

The blow from a blood zombie’s fist not only bludgeons opponents, but also sends a bone-numbing cold through them. This has been called the “Chill of the Deep”.

About

These are the undead spirits of sailors who died violently on a vessel overcome with blood barnacles. Blood zombies lurk near the seemingly abandoned ships they once crewed, massing up out of the water to scale other boats that come near their haunt and attack any living creature they find.

A Familiar Look. Blood zombies appear much like other zombies, save that their bodies are bloated with blood-tinged seawater and smell of brine and decomposing flesh.

Warpers of Wood. Due to the wood bane touch of the blood zombies, their attack often leaves an even new vessel’s hull cracked and leaking. Even if the blood zombies themselves are repelled, survivors of the attack may have little choice but to transfer to the blood zombies’ original ship- the one encrusted with blood barnacles…