Skull Lord
Medium undead, lawful evil
Armor Class
18 (plate)
Hit Points
105 (14d8 + 42)
Speed
30 ft.
STR
14 (+2)
DEX
16 (+3)
CON
17 (+3)
INT
16 (+3)
WIS
15 (+2)
CHA
21 (+5)
Damage Immunities
poison
Damage Resistances
cold, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities
blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned, stunned, unconscious
Senses
darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 22
Skills
Athletics +7, History +8, Perception +12, Stealth +8
Languages
all the languages it knew in life
Challenge
15 (13,000 XP)
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the skull lord fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Master of the Grave. While within 30 feet of the skull lord, any undead ally of the skull lord makes saving throws with advantage, and that ally regains 1d6 hit points whenever it starts its turn there.
Evasion. If the skull lord is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half the damage, the skull lord instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
Spellcasting. The skull lord is a 13th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). The skull lord knows the following sorcerer spells:
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Cantrips (at will): chill touch, fire bolt, mage hand, poison spray, ray of frost, shocking grasp
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1st level (4 slots): magic missile, expeditious retreat, thunderwave
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2nd level (3 slots): mirror image, scorching ray
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3rd level (3 slots): fear, haste
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4th level (3 slots): dimension door, ice storm
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5th level (2 slots): cloudkill, cone of cold
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6th level (1 slot): eyebite
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7th level (1 slot): finger of death
Actions
Multiattack The skull lord makes three bone staff attacks.
Bone Staff Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic damage.
Legendary Actions
The skull lord can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The skull lord regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Bone Staff (Costs 2 Actions) The skull lord makes a bone staff attack.
Cantrip The skull lord casts a cantrip.
Move The skull lord moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Summon Undead (Costs 3 Actions) Up to five skeletons or zombies appear in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of the skull lord and remain until destroyed. Undead summoned in this way roll initiative and act in the next available turn. The skull lord can have up to five undead summoned by this ability at a time.