Skull Lord

CreatureMTFp. 2302014

Medium undead, lawful evil

Armor Class
18 (plate armor)
Hit Points
105 (14d8 + 42)
Speed
30 ft.
Challenge
15 (13,000 XP)
STR
14
+2
DEX
16
+3
CON
17
+3
INT
16
+3
WIS
15
+2
CHA
21
+5
Skills
History +8, Stealth +8, Athletics +7, Perception +12
Damage Resistances
cold; necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities
poison
Condition Immunities
blinded; charmed; deafened; exhaustion; frightened; poisoned; stunned; unconscious
Senses
darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 22
Languages
all the languages it knew in life

Traits

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.

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

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.

Spellcasting

Spellcasting.

The skull lord is a 13th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). The skull lord knows the following sorcerer spells:

Raw data
{
  "ac": [
    {
      "ac": 18,
      "from": [
        "{@item plate armor|phb}"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "cr": "15",
  "hp": {
    "average": 105,
    "formula": "14d8 + 42"
  },
  "cha": 21,
  "con": 17,
  "dex": 16,
  "int": 16,
  "str": 14,
  "wis": 15,
  "name": "Skull Lord",
  "page": 230,
  "size": [
    "M"
  ],
  "type": "undead",
  "skill": {
    "history": "+8",
    "stealth": "+8",
    "athletics": "+7",
    "perception": "+12"
  },
  "speed": {
    "walk": 30
  },
  "trait": [
    {
      "name": "Legendary Resistance (3/Day)",
      "entries": [
        "If the skull lord fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Master of the Grave",
      "entries": [
        "While within 30 feet of the skull lord, any undead ally of the skull lord makes saving throws with advantage, and that ally regains {@dice 1d6} hit points whenever it starts its turn there."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Evasion",
      "entries": [
        "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."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "__prop": "monster",
  "action": [
    {
      "name": "Multiattack",
      "entries": [
        "The skull lord makes three bone staff attacks."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Bone Staff",
      "entries": [
        "{@atk mw} {@hit 8} to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. {@h}7 ({@damage 1d8 + 3}) bludgeoning damage plus 14 ({@damage 4d6}) necrotic damage."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "immune": [
    "poison"
  ],
  "resist": [
    "cold",
    "necrotic",
    {
      "cond": true,
      "note": "from nonmagical attacks",
      "resist": [
        "bludgeoning",
        "piercing",
        "slashing"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    "darkvision 60 ft."
  ],
  "source": "MTF",
  "passive": 22,
  "hasFluff": true,
  "hasToken": true,
  "miscTags": [
    "MW"
  ],
  "alignment": [
    "L",
    "E"
  ],
  "languages": [
    "all the languages it knew in life"
  ],
  "legendary": [
    {
      "name": "Bone Staff (Costs 2 Actions)",
      "entries": [
        "The skull lord makes a bone staff attack."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Cantrip",
      "entries": [
        "The skull lord casts a cantrip."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Move",
      "entries": [
        "The skull lord moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks."
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Summon Undead (Costs 3 Actions)",
      "entries": [
        "Up to five {@creature skeleton||skeletons} or {@creature zombie||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."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "senseTags": [
    "D"
  ],
  "soundClip": {
    "path": "bestiary/skull-lord.opus",
    "type": "internal"
  },
  "traitTags": [
    "Legendary Resistances"
  ],
  "actionTags": [
    "Multiattack"
  ],
  "damageTags": [
    "B",
    "N"
  ],
  "environment": [
    "desert",
    "swamp",
    "underdark"
  ],
  "reprintedAs": [
    "Skull Lord|MPMM"
  ],
  "languageTags": [
    "LF"
  ],
  "spellcasting": [
    {
      "name": "Spellcasting",
      "type": "spellcasting",
      "spells": {
        "0": {
          "spells": [
            "{@spell chill touch}",
            "{@spell fire bolt}",
            "{@spell mage hand}",
            "{@spell poison spray}",
            "{@spell ray of frost}",
            "{@spell shocking grasp}"
          ]
        },
        "1": {
          "slots": 4,
          "spells": [
            "{@spell magic missile}",
            "{@spell expeditious retreat}",
            "{@spell thunderwave}"
          ]
        },
        "2": {
          "slots": 3,
          "spells": [
            "{@spell mirror image}",
            "{@spell scorching ray}"
          ]
        },
        "3": {
          "slots": 3,
          "spells": [
            "{@spell fear}",
            "{@spell haste}"
          ]
        },
        "4": {
          "slots": 3,
          "spells": [
            "{@spell dimension door}",
            "{@spell ice storm}"
          ]
        },
        "5": {
          "slots": 2,
          "spells": [
            "{@spell cloudkill}",
            "{@spell cone of cold}"
          ]
        },
        "6": {
          "slots": 1,
          "spells": [
            "{@spell eyebite}"
          ]
        },
        "7": {
          "slots": 1,
          "spells": [
            "{@spell finger of death}"
          ]
        }
      },
      "ability": "cha",
      "headerEntries": [
        "The skull lord is a 13th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save {@dc 18}, {@hit 10} to hit with spell attacks). The skull lord knows the following sorcerer spells:"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "hasFluffImages": true,
  "conditionImmune": [
    "blinded",
    "charmed",
    "deafened",
    "exhaustion",
    "frightened",
    "poisoned",
    "stunned",
    "unconscious"
  ],
  "damageTagsSpell": [
    "B",
    "C",
    "F",
    "I",
    "L",
    "N",
    "O",
    "T"
  ],
  "spellcastingTags": [
    "CS"
  ],
  "savingThrowForcedSpell": [
    "constitution",
    "dexterity",
    "wisdom"
  ]
}