Medium undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
Speed 30 ft.

Proficiency Bonus +3
Proficiency Bonus +4 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
15 (+2)	16 (+3)	15 (+2)	7 (-2)	12 (+1)	12 (+1)

Saving Throws (suggested) Dex +6
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances cold, fire, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities lightning, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft. (suggested 180 ft.), passive Perception 14
Languages Abyssal, the languages it knew in life
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Aura of Annihilation. The bodak can activate or deactivate this feature as a bonus action. While active, the aura deals 5 necrotic damage to any creature that ends its turn within 30 feet of the bodak. Undead and fiends ignore this effect.

Death Gaze. When a creature that can see the bodak’s eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of the bodak, the bodak can force it to make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw if the bodak isn’t incapacitated and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is reduced to 0 hit points, unless it is immune to the frightened condition. Otherwise, a creature takes 16 (3d10) psychic damage on a failed save. Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it has disadvantage on attack rolls against the bodak until the start of its next turn. If the creature looks at the bodak in the meantime, it must immediately make the saving throw.

Magic Resistance (suggested). The bodak has advantage on saving throws against spells of the school of transmutation.

Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The bodak takes 5 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

ACTIONS

• Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.
• Withering Gaze. One creature that the bodak can see within 60 feet of it must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

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DESCRIPTION

A bodak is a horrifying undead creature that was once a humanoid worshiper of Orcus, the demon lord of undeath. A bodak is created when a mortal is exposed to the touch of pure evil, such as that of a nightwalker, a powerful shadowy undead servant of Orcus, or ventures into parts of the Abyss too deadly for them. The victim’s body and soul are corrupted and twisted into a new form, devoid of any personality or will of its own. A bodak resembles its former self in size and shape, but its skin is pale and hairless, and its face is distorted into a mask of madness and horror. Its eyes are milky-white and have the power to kill with a single glance. A bodak speaks Abyssal and the languages it knew in life, but rarely communicates with anything other than snarls and hisses. A bodak exists only to cause death and destruction, either on its own or under the command of a more powerful undead master. Orcus can see and hear everything a bodak perceives, and can use them as his spies and assassins.

COMBAT

A bodak is a fearsome opponent in combat, using its innate abilities to inflict pain and terror on its enemies. A bodak’s most deadly weapon is its death gaze, which can instantly kill or severely injure any creature that meets its eyes. A bodak can also project an aura of annihilation around itself, which harms and weakens any living creature within 30 feet. A bodak is resistant to cold, fire, necrotic, lightning, and poison damage, as well as nonmagical physical attacks. It is immune to charm, frighten, and poison effects. A bodak shuns sunlight and bright light, as it causes them great discomfort and impairs their vision. A bodak prefers to ambush its prey in dark and secluded places, where it can use its stealth and perception skills to gain an advantage. A bodak has no allies or friends, only enemies and potential prey. A bodak may sometimes work with other undead creatures, especially those loyal to Orcus, but only if ordered by a higher authority or if it serves its own interests. A bodak has no emotions or desires other than killing and pleasing its dark lord.

HABITAT / SOCIETY

A bodak has no natural habitat or society, as it is an unnatural abomination that does not belong in any world. A bodak can be found anywhere where Orcus or his followers have a presence, such as the Shadowfell, the Abyss, or places where dark rituals have been performed. A bodak may also wander the lands in search of victims, driven by its insatiable hunger for death. A bodak has a faint attachment to its former lives as mortals. Rarely, this preoccupation causes the bodak to pause in combat while it considers its actions. There is a base 5% chance, rolled once per encounter, that the creature sees something in an enemy that reminds it of its mortal life. The bodak pauses and make no attacks for one melee round. After that, the bodak has disadvantage to all attacks against that one character.

ECOLOGY

A bodak has no place in the natural order of things, as it is an affront to life itself. A bodak does not eat, drink, sleep, or breathe. It does not reproduce or age. It does not care for anything but death. A bodak’s only purpose is to spread the corruption of Orcus and destroy all that is good and living. A bodak can create more of its kind by killing creatures with its death gaze, which may cause them to rise as new bodaks within 24 hours. This process can be prevented by destroying the corpse or removing the head before the transformation is complete. A bodak’s remains do not decay or rot, but remain as a grisly reminder of its existence.

The Bodak: A Tale of Love and Revenge

A Sigil legend called “The Bodak Who Walked Home” is a tale of love, revenge, and hope against all odds.

Once, there was an evil king named Basiliedus who ruled his small city-state with dark magic. He was obsessed with a fair woman named Helen, who was married to a brave swordsman named Diomed. Basiliedus kidnapped Helen and forced her to be his queen, while Diomed was away on a quest. When Diomed returned, he stormed the palace of the dark lord and demanded his wife back. Basiliedus, who could have easily killed the swordsman with his sorcery, decided to mock him instead. He asked Diomed what he would do to win back his bride. “Anything,” answered Diomed.

So Basiliedus gave him an impossible task: to visit the Abyss, the realm of demons and horrors, and bring back a handful of soil.

Diomed agreed, and Basiliedus transported him there, feeling glee at the swordsman’s dreadful fate.

Years passed, and Helen suffered under Basiliedus’ tyranny. She became ill and died, escaping at last the loveless union forced on her. Basiliedus did not mourn her, but sought another victim for his lust.

One day, a mysterious traveler came to Basiliedus’ castle. He wore a hooded cloak and claimed to be a rich merchant. He said he had a gift for the cruel lord. The traveler was shown into Basiliedus’ throne room.

“I have brought you this,” said the visitor. He poured soil from a black silk bag onto the floor. The soil turned into blood, and the blood turned into snakes. Basiliedus recognized this as soil from the Abyss, but before he could react, the visitor removed his hood. It was Diomed, but he was no longer human. He had become a bodak, an undead creature of pure evil. His eyes were milky-white and had the power to kill with a single glance. The sight of the bodak killed Basiliedus and all his guards instantly.

Diomed, the bodak, walked out of the castle to tell the people their dread lord was dead. He hoped to find peace in death, but he could not die. The sun burned his impure flesh, but he felt no pain. He only felt a faint memory of his love for Helen. Just before his rotten body collapsed, Diomed is said to have smiled.