Reinforcements for the Undead!

Encounters with the Undead are often grotesque and terrifying. Even the bravest heroes can be rattled during confrontations with the living dead, and these encounters hold up a black mirror to our own worst possible ends.

The reinforcements called by the Undead are as inexorable as they are merciless. Worst, they are eager to add the PCs to their own numbers.

Roll d100 on the table below to select reinforcements for the Undead.

Higher rolls on this table are more powerful. Some encounters may provide even experienced adventurers with a harrowing challenge.

Reinforcements Table for the Undead

Note:  Stats are given only when they deviate from those given in Core Rulebooks. The term Necromancer refers to the most powerful and intelligent Undead present.

1-5. The Crawling Dead! 1d6+1 Zombies rise from the earth for the next three rounds. They crawl toward the PCs at 10’ per round and attack from prone at -2 to hit.

6-10. Undead Orc Horde! With the clatter of bones, 2d4+2 Orc Skeletons rush into battle. They raise greataxes (1d12+2) and mindlessly hack down the closest PC.

11-15. Peltasts! A rain of javelins sails toward you. 2d6 Skeleton Peltasts in ornate armor prepare to hurl a second volley from behind their round shields. Each Peltast has four javelins (1d6+2) and is armed with a gladius (short sword – 1d6+2) that they draw when out of javelins.

16-19. Ware’ the Shadows! The Necromancer whispers a black spell. Dark and formless appear: 2d6 Shadows emerge to attack the closest PCs. They prioritize attacking any PC with a Good alignment, while avoiding those with torches or other magical sources of light.

20-24. Maggots! The presence of so much decaying flesh has attracted 1d4+1 Carrion Crawlers. The Crawlers prefer the taste of the PC’s living flesh, but will also attack and consume non-skeletal, corporeal Undead that get in their way.

25-27. Gourmand! A Ghoul with a frayed mustachios lopes out from the black. He glares at the PCs, licking his sharpened teeth with a leathery tongue. He wields a great steel cleaver and attacks the largest PC he can easily reach (1d10+3/1d10+3).

28-30. Thorrog and Oddag! Two particularly huge Zombie Ogre brothers (+15 additional HP) lumber toward you, each equipped with a huge club. Every round they are engaged in combat they argue with one another, throwing insults back and forth. Each turn Thorrog or Oddag is engaged in melee, roll 1d20. On a roll of 17+ either Thorogg or Oddag has become enraged by an insult, and leaves combat with the PCs to attack his brother. If either brother is slain by any means, the remaining brother blames the PCs. He immediately gains 25 bonus HP and deals +2 damage on all attacks for the rest of the combat.

31-35. That Smell! The obscene odor of rotting flesh fills the air. One horribly pungent Ghast and 1d3 Ghouls join the fray. This Ghast is so ripe that its Stench radius is increased to 15’ and it requires a DC 12 CON Save to resist. In addition to the standard consequences of a failed Stench save, PCs failing their CON Save cannot use their action to attack in melee for one round.

36-39. Chained Mummies! 1d4 Mummies burst into the combat and fix the PCs with baleful stares. Perhaps knowing that these Mummies might someday be turned, someone thoughtfully chained them together. The Mummies charge the nearest PC together as a pack. They make melee attacks as usual, but if two or more hit they also Entangle the struck PC if that PC fails a DC 12 DEX Save.

40-43. Barrowlord! A local Wight has sworn fealty to the Undead Necromancer. She arrives to carry out her obligation, with her Zombie (3d4) entourage.

44-48. Black Dog! One of the PCs is stalked by a large, shadowy hound. Select one PC at random. Only the intended victim can see the Black Dog, it is otherwise Invisible and Incorporeal. The Black Dog cannot be harmed except by spells or magical weapons).

Black Dog – Medium Incorporeal Undead

HP: 42, Speed: 40’, AC: 16, Attack (Bite) +8. Damage: 1d8+4.

Special Abilities: Bite – If the Black Dog moves 20’ or more before hitting with its bite attack, its target is knocked Prone. Anyone struck by the bite may attempt a DC 16 STR Save or DC 15 DEX Save to avoid this effect. Disengage – The Black Dog leaves combat as easily as it enters: It receives +6 AC against Attacks of Opportunity. Lone Victim – The Black Dog attacks one target. Once its target is killed, the Black Dog drags the PC’s soul from their body, and retreats. To raise their fallen comrade, the remaining PCs must retrieve their soul by locating and killing the Black Dog.

49-52. Cultists! 1d4 Gnomish death priests join the fray. They cast death spells as Clerics 2 levels below the party average. Their Leader carries a wizened Basilisk head that repairs damaged Undead within 30’ at the rate of 1d8 HP every turn. If the totem is separated from the Lead Cleric it explodes, dealing 3d6 Necrotic damage to any adjacent creature.

53-57. Freezing Death! Icy wind blows across the battlefield followed by the thunderous drumming of fists beating against a broad chest. The new enemy loping towards you is reminiscent of tales you’ve heard of yetis, but you don’t remember any that mentioned a fleshless skull, or a glowing shard of ice plunged into its chest.

Frostheart Apekin – Large Undead

HP: 62, Speed: 40’, AC: 13, Attack: (Icefist/Icefist) +7/+7. Damage: 1d8+4/1d8+4.

Special Abilities: Icefist – Opponents hit by both Icefist attacks take an additional 2d8 Cold Damage, and must make a DC 14 CON Save or be Frozen. While Frozen, their AC becomes 10 and they may not act. Frozen PCs may Save DC 14 CON each round to thaw themselves. The Frostheart Apekin may attack Frozen PCs, but does not deal additional cold damage. The Freeze effect does not stack with multiple hits.

58-61. Cover Your Ears! A woman dressed in white glides toward the PCs, her face hidden beneath a veil. As soon as one of the PCs moves toward her or makes any attempt to interact with her, she lifts her veil, revealing the face of a Banshee. She then targets that PC with a shriek, before joining the fray. (Use standard stats for a Banshee.)

62-65. Burning Skull! A flash like a torch flickers across the battlefield as a Flameskull drifts towards the PCs. As soon as it is within range its jaw drops open and it belches fire upon them, bragging and chattering insults the entire time.

66-69. Favors Owed! A Vampire Spawn answers the Necromancer’s call for aid. The Necromancer helped free the Spawn from its former master and now commands its loyalty. The Spawn will fight as long as the Necromancer remains standing. Should the Necromancer be destroyed, the Spawn is freed of its obligation and will retreat from the field.

70-73. Diregoat Ramknights! 1d3+1 Skeletal Dwarven Axers mounted upon skeletal Diregoats charge into battle. Wispy white beards trail from both Dwarf and goat.

Skeletal Diregoat – Medium Undead

HP: 30, Speed: 40’, AC: 16 (Goat Barding), Attacks: (Horns/Kick) +5/+5. Damage: 1d6+2/1d4+2.

Ramknight – Medium Undead

HP: 34, Speed: 30’, AC: 15 (Chainmail), Attacks: (Axe/Axe) +6/+1. Damage: 1d6+2/1d6+2.

74-78. Wraithgate! With a sweep of his hand, the Necromancer rips open a tear to the negative energy plane. Several Shadows (3d4) stream forth, followed by the terrifying outline of their Wraith master. Unless the Wraith is destroyed it may call an additional 1d4 Shadows through the gate once every three rounds.

79-82. The Weeper! The creature that skitters from the darkness looks like a human-sized, zombified rat. Eyeless, it sniffs the air, baring discolored teeth and a pointed tongue. Its flesh has rotted away in patches, and coils of bowel droop behind it as it runs. Huge weeping sores line its mangy spine, threatening to burst any moment.

The Weeper – Medium Undead Rodent

HP: 45, Speed: 30’, AC: 14, Attacks (Bite/Claw/Claw) +5/+4/+4. Damage: 1d4+4/1d4+2/1d4+2.

Special Abilities: The Weeper is Immune to Disease, Poison, and Necrotic Damage. Weeper – Any attack that strikes the Weeper for more than 10 damage bursts some of the sores along its back, spurting diseased pus into the air. Any PCs within 10’ must make a DC 14 DEX Save or be sprayed by the Weeper’s pus. Anyone hit by the pus may make an additional DC 18 CON Save to avoid contracting Weeping Disease. Those effected by the Weeping begin to bleed from their eyes 1d4 hours later, suffering -4 Speed, -5 to hit, and losing one HP per hour until the Weeping is cured. If the Weeping is not cured within 48 hours it causes permanent blindness.

83-85. Doomplow! A pair of huge, skeletal Auroxes drag a 20’ wide plow lined with scything blades behind them. A Plow Driver stands upon the chassis, whip in hand, steering the Undead beasts.

The Doomplow moves at Speed 40’ across the battlefield toward the nearest PC, attempting to trample them. Any PC who fails to move out of the way may make a DC 13 DEX Save to avoid being gored by the Auroxes (1d8+4 Piercing Damage + 4d4 Bludgeoning Damage), and then must make a second DC 16 DEX Save to avoid being struck by the plow blades (6d6+6 Damage).

The Doomplow may be stopped by destroying both Auroxes (destroying one Aurox reduces the plow to half speed). Destroying the plow’s driver causes the Doomplow to move at half speed in a random direction every turn instead.

Skeletal Aurox – Large Undead

HP: 55, Speed: 40’, AC: 13

Plow Driver – Medium Undead

HP: 38, Speed: 30* (Will only dismount if both Auroxes are destroyed), AC: 15*, Attack: (Whip) +4. Damage: 1d4+1.

Special Rules: *While driving the Doomplow, the Plow Driver may only be targeted by spells, ranged weapons, or weapons with reach of 10’ or greater.

86-89. Dracofaux! A reptilian roar shakes your bones and a large serpentine skull swoops your way. Huge batlike wings framed in bone spread out for several horse lengths, as the Undead terror stalks toward you from the air. A Dracolich!? You’re doomed! Just as you begin to pray to your chosen deity, you notice the creature’s lack of arms. No, this isn’t a Dracolich, it must be a Skeletal Wyvern! But before you can sigh in relief, the Skeletal Wyvern’s barbed tail slashes toward you, still dripping with fresh poison. (The Skeletal Wyvern is an Undead using the Wyvern’s base stats.)

90-92. Not the First! The Undead Necromancer jeers at the PCs. “You are not the first would-be heroes who have tried to destroy me,” he says. “You adventurers are all the same. Let me introduce your predecessors.” He pulls a bone whistle from a cord around his neck and blows. Several Undead adventurers emerge, one for each member of the party. Mirror the PC’s classes, but reduce the level of the Undead adventurers by 2, compared to the PCs. The Undead adventurers serve the Necromancer as long as he has the bone whistle.

93-96. Our True Enemy! A Warlock two levels higher than the average PC gates in behind the Undead’s lines. “Ah!” she croons, “I see you’ve already been introduced to my servant(s). I do enjoy a good trap.” She turns to the strongest other Undead present, “You may kill them now.” The Warlock casts spells entirely from the schools of Necromancy and Illusion, joining the fray immediately.

97-100. One-Eyed Terror! A towering figure in blackened plate clangs toward the battle. Its lone, glowing red eye searches for victims to murder. Setting its sights on the PC with the highest AC, it hefts an axe as large as an average human and strides toward them.

Cyclops Mage-Knight – Undead Giant

Note: In addition to its substantial melee attack, the Cyclops Mage-Knight cast spells as a Wizard two levels lower than the PCs. This is an encounter for high-level PCs only. Against lower-level PCs, consider replacing the Cyclops Mage-Knight with a plate-armored Undead Fighter 1 level higher than the PCs.

HP: 168 (14 HD), Speed: 30’, AC: 20 (Blackened Plate Armor), Attack: (Titanic Great Axe – Reach 15’) +16, Damage: 3d10+6.

Special Vulnerability: One-Eyed. The Cyclops Mage-Knight may be temporarily blinded for 1d3 rounds by any ranged critical hits. While blinded, the Cyclops Mage-Knight suffers -4 AC and -6 to hit.

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