Medium undead, lawful evil
Armor Class 18 (breastplate, shield)
Hit Points 127 (15d8 + 60)
Speed 30 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +3
Proficiency Bonus +6 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 14 (+2) | 18 (+4) | 11 (+0) | 12 (+1) | 14 (+2) |
Saving Throws (suggested) Str +7, Con +7, Cha +5
Skills Perception +4
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, poisoned, unconscious
Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception passive 14
Languages the languages it knew in life
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Martial Fury. As a bonus action, the sword wraith can make one weapon attack, which deals an extra 9 (2d8) necrotic damage on a hit. If it does so, attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn.
Turning Defiance. The sword wraith and any other sword wraiths within 30 feet of it have advantage on saving throws against effects that turn undead.
ACTIONS
- Multiattack. The sword wraith makes two long sword attacks or two longbow attacks or one attack with the longsword and one attack with its claw.
- Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage, or 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage if used with two hands.
- Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.
- Call to Honor (1/Day). To use this action, the sword wraith must have taken damage during the current combat. If the sword wraith can use this action, it gives itself advantage on attack rol ls until the end of its next turn, and 1d4 + 1 sword wraith warriors appear in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of it. The warriors last until they drop to 0 hit points, and they take their turns immediately after the commander’s turn on the same initiative count.
- Claw (suggested). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain by this attack rises at the start of the Sword Wraith Commander’s next turn as a spectre under the Sword Wraith Commander’s control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. The Sword Wraith Commander can have no more than twelve spectres under its control at one time.
5th Edition Advanced Mode
Limiting the power of a character and making the overall difficulty of the game harder, does not reduce the creativity, indeed it does quite the opposite.
The Game Master has the option to use any and all of the instances proposed in this guide, or just some of them according to their preference.
It is the lack of something that move and motivate characters, not the abundance of it
Description
A sword wraith commander is a powerful undead creature that was once a glory-obsessed warrior who died in battle without earning the honor it desperately sought. Its valor-hungry spirit refuses to stop seeking that glorious victory despite being technically dead. It looks like a decayed and emaciated version of its once-living self, with a faint glow in its eyes that can only be seen in darkness or dim light. It wears the same clothing that it died in, often a breastplate or chainmail, and wields a longsword and a shield. It can also use a longbow, but only under certain circumstances.
Combat
A sword wraith commander is a fierce and relentless combatant that seeks to prove its worth in battle. It can use its martial fury to make an extra weapon attack as a bonus action, which deals additional necrotic damage on a hit. However, this also makes it more vulnerable to attacks from its enemies. A sword wraith commander can also summon sword wraith warriors to aid it in combat, if it has taken damage during the current combat. These warriors appear in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of the commander and act on the same initiative count. The commander can have no more than twelve warriors under its control at one time.
The touch of a sword wraith commander does damage in two ways. First, the chilling effect of the touch inflicts slashing damage, even to creatures immune to cold. Second, such a hit drains a level of experience from its victim. This includes hit points and all abilities associated with that level, such as spell casting or combat ability. The damage from the chill can be healed normally, but the experience points are gone forever and must be earned again or magically restored. A humanoid slain by this attack rises at the start of the sword wraith commander’s next turn as a wraith under the sword wraith commander’s control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed.
A sword wraith commander is resistant to necrotic damage and physical damage from nonmagical weapons, and immune to poison damage and several conditions. It also has advantage on saving throws against effects that turn undead, and grants this benefit to any other sword wraiths within 30 feet of it. A sword wraith commander can be appeased by praise or offended by insults, which might affect its behavior in combat.
Habitat / Society
A sword wraith commander usually haunts the location where it met its ignominious demise, such as an ancient battlefield, an ambush site, or a slaughterhouse. It often travels with other sword wraiths who were part of the same mercenary company or army squadron in life. A sword wraith commander can communicate with the languages it knew in life, and might be willing to talk or negotiate with other creatures if convinced that they are its military equal or superior.
A sword wraith commander is driven by a desire for combat and honor, and will seek out worthy opponents to challenge. It might also seek to recruit other warriors who share its obsession, either by persuasion or by force. A sword wraith commander might ally itself with other evil creatures who can offer it opportunities for glory or revenge.
Ecology
A sword wraith commander is an unnatural creature that does not require air, food, drink, or sleep. It does not reproduce or age, but rather persists until it is destroyed or finds peace. A sword wraith commander might be created by a powerful curse, a dark ritual, or a twisted manifestation of its own will. A sword wraith commander might be destroyed by magic weapons, holy symbols, or spells that affect undead. A sword wraith commander might also find peace if it achieves the honor it sought in life, or if it is shown the futility of its quest.