Skeletons
Skeleton
- Size: Medium
- Type: Undead
- Alignment: Lawful Evil
- AC: 14
- Initiative: +3 (13)
- HP: 13(2d8+4)
- Speed: 30 ft
| ATTR | VAL | MOD | SAVE |
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 10 | +0 | +0 |
| DEX | 16 | +3 | +3 |
| CON | 15 | +2 | +2 |
| INT | 6 | -2 | -2 |
| WIS | 8 | -1 | -1 |
| CHA | 5 | -3 | -3 |
- Vulnerabilities: Bludgeoning
- Immunities: Poison; Exhaustion, Poisoned
- Gear: Shortbow, Shortsword
- Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 9
- Languages: Understands Common plus one other language but can't speak
- CR: 1/4 (XP 50; PB +2)
Actions
Shortsword. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) Piercing damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Attack Roll: +5, range 80/320 ft. Hit: 6(1d6+3) Piercing damage.
Warhorse Skeleton
- Size: Large
- Type: Undead
- Alignment: Lawful Evil
- AC: 13
- Initiative: +1 (11)
- HP: 22(3d10+6)
- Speed: 60 ft
| ATTR | VAL | MOD | SAVE |
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 18 | +4 | +4 |
| DEX | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| CON | 15 | +2 | +2 |
| INT | 2 | -4 | -4 |
| WIS | 8 | -1 | -1 |
| CHA | 5 | -3 | -3 |
- Vulnerabilities: Bludgeoning
- Immunities: Poison; Exhaustion, Poisoned
- Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 9
- Languages: None
- CR: 1/2 (XP 100; PB +2)
Actions
Hooves. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) Bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature and the skeleton moved 20+ feet straight toward it immediately before the hit, the target has the Prone condition.
Minotaur Skeleton
- Size: Large
- Type: Undead
- Alignment: Lawful Evil
- AC: 12
- Initiative: +0 (10)
- HP: 45(6d10+12)
- Speed: 40 ft
| ATTR | VAL | MOD | SAVE |
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 18 | +4 | +4 |
| DEX | 11 | +0 | +0 |
| CON | 15 | +2 | +2 |
| INT | 6 | -2 | -2 |
| WIS | 8 | -1 | -1 |
| CHA | 5 | -3 | -3 |
- Vulnerabilities: Bludgeoning
- Immunities: Poison; Exhaustion, Poisoned
- Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 9
- Languages: Understands Abyssal but can't speak
- CR: 2 (XP 450; PB +2)
Actions
Gore. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) Piercing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature and the skeleton moved 20+ feet straight toward it immediately before the hit, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) Piercing damage and has the Prone condition.
Slam. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 15 (2d10+4) Bludgeoning damage.
Lore & Background
Skeletons are undead creatures animated by necromantic magic, representing the most basic form of undead servitude. These reanimated bones retain no memory of their former lives and exist only to serve their creators or follow the simple commands programmed into them during their animation. Skeletons are commonly created by necromancers, evil clerics, or through cursed locations where death magic is strong.
While individually weak, skeletons are often encountered in groups and can overwhelm unprepared adventurers through sheer numbers. They require no rest, food, or maintenance, making them ideal guardians for tombs, dungeons, and other locations where their creators want permanent sentries.
Combat Tactics
Skeletons attack with whatever weapons they possessed in life or were given by their creators. They fight without fear or self-preservation, following orders literally and continuing to attack until destroyed or commanded to stop.
Encounter Ideas
Tomb Guardians: Skeletons protect an ancient burial site from grave robbers and trespassers. Necromancer's Army: A dark spellcaster has raised an army of skeletons to serve their evil plans. Cursed Battlefield: Skeletons of fallen warriors continue to fight an eternal battle. Laboratory Assistants: A necromancer uses skeletons as tireless workers in their dark experiments.
Environmental Effects
Skeleton presence indicates areas touched by death magic or necromancy. The air often feels cold and oppressive, and living creatures may feel an instinctual unease.
Treasure
Skeletons don't collect treasure themselves, but they often guard valuable items or wear equipment from their former lives. Their lairs may contain the possessions of those they've defeated.
Plot Hooks
The Restless Dead: Skeletons rise spontaneously in an area, suggesting a deeper necromantic threat. Bone Collector: Someone is gathering skeletons for a massive undead army. Ancient Curse: Skeletons are bound to guard something until a specific condition is met. Necromantic Plague: The creation of skeletons is spreading like a disease through the region.
Lore & Background
Skeletons are among the most common and recognizable forms of undead, arising when necromantic magic animates the bones of the deceased without restoring flesh or consciousness. These shambling remnants retain no memory of their former lives, serving only as mindless automatons driven by the dark magic that binds their bones together. They represent death stripped of all personality and emotion, leaving only hollow malevolence.
Created through various necromantic rituals, skeletons serve as guardians, soldiers, or laborers for their creators. Some arise spontaneously in areas saturated with negative energy, while others are deliberately crafted by necromancers seeking disposable minions. Their lack of flesh makes them particularly durable in certain environments, and their mindless nature makes them immune to fear, charm, and other psychological effects.
Combat Tactics
Skeletons are straightforward combatants that attack relentlessly without regard for self-preservation or tactical complexity. They use whatever weapons and armor they possessed in life, though their coordination lacks the skill of living warriors. Multiple skeletons often attack as a coordinated mob, overwhelming opponents through sheer numbers rather than strategic planning.
These undead creatures feel no pain or fatigue, continuing to fight even when severely damaged. They pursue targets with single-minded determination, only stopping when destroyed or when their animating magic is dispelled. Their predictable behavior makes them somewhat easier to combat individually, but dangerous in groups.
Encounter Ideas
1. The Bone Garden An ancient cemetery has become corrupted by necromantic energy, causing skeletons to rise from their graves each night. The party must discover the source of the corruption while avoiding the increasingly numerous undead that emerge after sunset.
2. The Tireless Laborers A mine or construction site employs skeleton workers that toil endlessly without rest or payment. While efficient, their presence disturbs local communities and raises questions about the ethics and legality of undead labor.
3. The Guardian Platoon A fortress or tomb is defended by skeletal warriors that continue following their last orders decades after their death. The party must find a way past these mindless guardians or discover a way to countermand their ancient instructions.
4. The Broken Ritual A necromancer's experiment goes awry, creating skeletons that cannot be controlled and begin spreading throughout the area. The party must contain the undead outbreak while investigating what went wrong with the original ritual.
Environmental Effects
- Negative Energy: Areas with many skeletons become suffused with death magic, making healing more difficult and causing plants to wither
- Bone Accumulation: Skeletons gather bones from fallen creatures, potentially building crude fortifications or creating larger undead constructs
- Undead Attraction: The presence of skeletons often draws other undead creatures to the area, creating growing concentrations of the unliving
- Psychological Impact: Communities near skeleton activity experience increased fear, depression, and obsession with death
Treasure
- Ancient Weapons (varies): Rusted but sometimes magical weapons carried by the skeletons in life
- Tattered Armor (varies): Deteriorated armor and equipment that may retain some protective value
- Bone Fragments (5-25 gp): Specially treated bones suitable for necromantic components or decorative items
- Grave Goods (varies): Burial treasures and personal effects interred with the original bodies
- Necromantic Foci (100-500 gp): Items used to animate or control the skeletons, valuable to scholars of undeath
Plot Hooks
1. The Conscripted Army A necromancer is raising an army of skeletons from ancient battlefields, planning to use them in a campaign against the living. The party must stop this undead recruitment before the army becomes unstoppable.
2. The Family Curse A noble family's ancestors rise as skeletons whenever their bloodline is threatened, creating an undead protection that operates beyond their control. The party becomes involved when this 'protection' begins targeting innocent people.
3. The Bone Ship A ghost ship crewed entirely by skeletons appears in harbor, its undead crew seeking something lost long ago. The party must determine what the skeletons want and whether helping them will put the living at risk.
4. The Archaeologist's Mistake An archaeological expedition accidentally disturbs a mass grave, causing hundreds of skeletons to rise and threaten nearby settlements. The party must find a way to re-consecrate the site while protecting the living from the undead horde.