Draugr

When a ghost or spirit, in hatred, returns to its interred corpse and possesses the body to enact its vengeance, it becomes a type of undead known as a draugr.

Jump to: Draugr | Draugr Lord | Draugr King

The body of a draugr is withered and emaciated but not entirely skeletal It has deathly blue-black skin and eyes that glow with a spectral blue light in the darkness. For a corpse to become a draugr, the body must be well-preserved, whether by ritual interment, warding magic, mummification, or even the cold of ice and snow.

Animated By Hatred. Regardless of what drove them in life, in undeath, a draugr is motivated primarily by an overwhelming and unrelenting hatred. Most draugr lose any trace of their old nature as a living person, thinking and feeling only in terms of spite and enmity. If they are part of a group of undead, they might also feel a kind of obedience or even fearful respect for their undead lords. All draugr retain some semblance of old memories, no matter how deteriorated, from which they draw hatred. Those who are animated by a particularly personal or bitter grudge often retain more of their personality and even their wits, using these traits to enact a devastating revenge on their most hated enemies.

The hatred that animates a draugr is so powerful and intense that it radiates through their spectral gaze. Just locking eyes with one can be enough to fill the bravest of warriors with a paralyzing ghastly terror.

Eternally Recurring. A draugr must be destroyed in a special manner to prevent it from returning and finally send it to its eternal resting place. It must have its head removed, and both the head and body must be burned to ashes. Finally, the remaining ashes must be poured into the brine of the sea directly. If this is not done, a draugr that is slain will inevitably return when its ghostly spirit finds its way back to where it was first interred.

One legend tells of a warrior, Olaf Eighth-Blade, who was killed in a drunken brawl by his brother Uldrik. The following year, when Olaf returned as a vengeful draugr, Uldrik slew the undead yet again. Thinking the danger had passed, he left for a raiding voyage. When he came back, he found that Olaf had returned, tricked his family to gain entrance, and slaughtered them in their home.

Guards of Tomb & Mound. Draugr are often found in the very tombs and burial mounds that they were buried within, motivated by a hatred for those who killed them in battle, guarding against anyone who would trespass on their tomb. Such draugr usually persist for eons, as even adventurers rarely have the time to dispose of the draugr properly in the sea. When adventurers destroy all the draugr within a tomb, the same draugr will likely return to guard the place again within a fortnight.

Draugr

Environment

Ruins, Urban, Underdark

Token

Draugr

Medium undead, any evil alignment

  • Armor Class 13 (armor scraps, shield)
  • Hit Points 52 (7d8 + 21)
  • Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 7 (-2) 8 (-1) 13 (+l)
  • Proficiency Bonus +2
  • Saving Throws Wis + 1
  • Damage Vulnerabilities
  • Damage Resistances cold, necrotic
  • Damage Immunities poison
  • Condition Immunities exhaustion,frightened,paralyzed,poisoned
  • Skills
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft.,passive Perception 9
  • Languages the languages it knew in life
  • Challenge 2

Unusual Nature. The draugr doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Dark Rejuvenation. A draugr that dies comes back to life with all its hit points and appears where it was originally interred in 3d6 days unless its remains are beheaded, burned to ashes, and poured into the sea.

Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the draugr to O hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is fire, radiant, or from a critical hit. On a success, the draugr drops to l hit point instead.

Actions

Multiattack. The draugr makes two weapon attacks.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.

Battleaxe. Melee WeaponAttack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage if used with two hands.

Javelin. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.

Hateful Glare (Recharge 6). The draugr fixes its magical gaze on one creature that it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or else be frightened of the draugr for 1 minute. While frightened in this way, the target can't move, and it must spend its action on each of its turns to Dodge. It repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Draugr Lord

When a powerful leader, hero, or warrior returns from the dead as a draugr, they may rise as a formidable draugr lord, capable of commanding the obedience of other undead using their malevolent glare. Draugr lords are often found deep within the tombs of legendary warriors or ancient kings, leading a group of draugr as loyal protectors of their lord's burial grounds.

Environment

Ruins, Urban, Underdark

Token

Draugr Lord

Medium undead, any evil alignment

  • Armor Class 14 (armor scraps, shield)
  • Hit Points 119 (14d8 + 56)
  • Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20(+5) 13(+1) 18(+4) 9(-1) 12(+1) 16(+3)
  • Proficiency Bonus +3
  • Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +6
  • Damage Vulnerabilities
  • Damage Resistances cold, necrotic
  • Damage Immunities poison
  • Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
  • Skills History +5, Perception +4
  • Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
  • Languages the languages it knew in life
  • Challenge 7

Dark Rejuvenation. A draugr that dies comes back to life with all its hit points and appears where it was originally interred in 3d6 days unless its remains are beheaded, burned to ashes, and poured into the sea.

Turn Resistance. The draugr has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.

Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the draugr to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is fire, radiant, or from a critical hit. On a success, the draugr drops to l hit point instead.

Vengeful Rise (1/Day). When the draugr is reduced to 0 hit points and fails its Undead Fortitude saving throw, it rises with l hit point at the start of its next turn.

Actions

Multiattack. The draugr uses its Command Undead and uses its Spiteful Glare if it is available. It then makes three melee attacks or two ranged attacks.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) slashing damage.

Battleaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) slashing damage, or 10 (1d10 + 5) slashing damage if used with two hands.

Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage.

Command Undead. The draugr targets one allied undead with a lower challenge rating that it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see or hear the draugr, the target can make one weapon attack as a reaction.

Spiteful Glare (Recharge 5-6). The draugr fixes its magical glare on any number of creatures that it can see within 30 feet of it. Each target must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or else be frightened of the draugr for l minute. While frightened in this way, a target can't move, and it must spend its action on each of its turns to Dodge. It repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Draugr King

Some draugr are more powerful even than lords, and command legions of undead in defense of their place of uneasy rest.

Environment

Ruins, Urban, Underdark

Token

Draugr King

Medium undead, any evil alignment

  • Armor Class 14 (armor scraps, shield)
  • Hit Points 119 (14d8 + 56)
  • Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20(+5) 13(+1) 18(+4) 9(-1) 12(+1) 16(+3)
  • Proficiency Bonus +4
  • Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +6
  • Damage Vulnerabilities
  • Damage Resistances cold, necrotic
  • Damage Immunities poison
  • Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
  • Skills History +5, Perception +4
  • Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
  • Languages the languages it knew in life
  • Challenge 7

Dark Rejuvenation. A draugr that dies comes back to life with all its hit points and appears where it was originally interred in 3d6 days unless its remains are beheaded, burned to ashes, and poured into the sea.

Turn Resistance. The draugr has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.

Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the draugr to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is fire, radiant, or from a critical hit. On a success, the draugr drops to l hit point instead.

Vengeful Rise (1/Day). When the draugr is reduced to 0 hit points and fails its Undead Fortitude saving throw, it rises with l hit point at the start of its next turn.

Chilling. A creature that hits the draugr with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 3 (1d6) cold damage, and if the creature doesn't have resistance or immunity to cold damage, it has disadvantage on the next weapon attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.

Actions

Multiattack. The draugr uses its Command Undead and uses its Spiteful Glare if it is available. It then makes three melee attacks or two ranged attacks.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) slashing damage.

Battleaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) slashing damage, or 10 (1d10 + 5) slashing damage if used with two hands.

Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage.

Command Undead. The draugr targets one allied undead with a lower challenge rating that it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see or hear the draugr, the target can make one weapon attack as a reaction.

Spiteful Glare (Recharge 5-6). The draugr fixes its magical glare on any number of creatures that it can see within 30 feet of it. Each target must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or else be frightened of the draugr for l minute. While frightened in this way, a target can't move, and it must spend its action on each of its turns to Dodge. It repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Innate Spellcasting. The draugr's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit). It casts cantrips as if it were an 11th-level spellcaster. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring only verbal components:

Bonus Actions

Spectral Shout. As a bonus action, the draugr can shout with spectral fury at one creature that it can see within 60 feet. The target must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 10 (3d6) thunder damage and it is pushed 10 feet away from the draugr and knocked prone.