Dread Atropal

Kain’s 5e Monstrous Manual – Page 45 – Dicefreaks

Huge Undead (titan), neutral evil
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Armor Class 17 (natural)
Hit Points 406 (28d12 + 224)
Speed fly 50 ft. (hover)
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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	15 (+2)	26 (+8)	27 (+8)	21 (+5)	26 (+8)

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Saving Throws Con +15, Wis +12, Cha +15
Damage Vulnerabilities radiant
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, prone
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages understands Celestial; speaks obscene nonsense
Challenge 21 (33,000 XP)
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Legendary Resistance (3/day) If a dread atropal fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Resistance. The atropal has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Negative Energy Aura. Creatures within 60 feet of the atropal can’t regain hit points and any creature that starts its turn within 60 feet of the atropal takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage.
If the atropal is struck by a vorpal sword, the wielder can cut the atropal’s umbilical cord instead of dealing damage. If its umbilical cord is cut, the atropal loses this feature. The atropal can avoid this effect with a successful DC 23 Constitution saving throw, if it does so, it takes half of the damage the vorpal sword would have otherwise dealt.

Turn Resistance Aura: The atropal and any other undead creature within 60 feet of it has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.

ACTIONS
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Touch.Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (6d6) necrotic damage and the target must make a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw or suffer disadvantage to attack rolls and saving throws for 1 minute. This effect can be removed earlier with remove curse or similar magic.

Ray of Cold.Ranged Spell Attack: +15 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 42 (12d6) cold damage and the target must make a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw or be restrained. A restrained creature can end the effect on itself by taking an action and succeeding on a DC 23 Acrobatics or Athletics check.

Life Drain The atropal targets one creature it can see within 120 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw, taking 72 (16d8) necrotic damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. The atropal regains a number of hit points equal to half the amount of damage dealt.

Summon Wraith (Recharge 5-6): The atropal summons a dread wraith with maximum (234) hit points, which materializes within 30 feet of it in an unoccupied space it can see. The wraith obeys its summoner’s commands and can’t be controlled by any other creature. The wraith vanishes when it drops to 0 hit points or when its summoner dies.

LEGENDARY ACTIONS
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The atropal can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The atropal regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Touch: The atropal makes a touch attack.

Ray of Cold: The atropal uses its Ray of Cold.

Wail (Costs 2 Actions): The atropal lets out a withering wail. Any creature within 120 feet of the atropal that can hear the wail must succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion.

Atropal

Atropals were a race of unfinished immortals modeled after the gods, stillborn godlings, who spontaneously rose as undead abominations.

Existing solely to spread death and destruction, atropals roamed across the planes, hunting down any prey that came their way. Others were sealed away in forgotten delves. Most atropals’ appeared as malformed bloated, grotesque and unfinished obviously undead creatures with splotches of black afterbirth. Their skin was wet, wrinkled, and dead, while the head was

enraged and hairless. The creatures’ black eyes stared with vacantness as the entire undead body drooled, oozed, and secreted pungent ichor. Their skinny appendages had tiny, clawed hands while the legs were useless and atrophied. Unable to walk on the dead misshapen members, atropals always flew.

Some atropals resembled ghouls to an extent, with pale red skin, long tongues, and razor-sharp teeth. Most of the flesh of an atropal was rotted, with swollen joints and exposed bones. Unlike ghouls, however, atropals lacked eyes, having instead empty, skin-covered sockets.

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Atropal
Size/Type:	Large Undead (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)
Hit Dice:	66d12 (792 hp hp)
Initiative:	+6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed:	5 ft., fly 240 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class:	51 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +40 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 49
Base Attack/Grapple:	+33/+53
Attack:	Touch +49 (2d6 Con drain/19-20) melee touch
Full Attack:	2 touches +49 (2d6 Con drain/19-20) melee touch, eye ray +30 (Energy Drain damage/19-20) ranged touch
Space/Reach:	10 ft/10 ft.
Special Attacks:	Constitution drain, Energy Drain (2d4 Energy Drains, fort=DC 59), spell-like abilities, summon nightcrawler
Special Qualities:	Abomination traits, undead traits, rebuke/command undead, regeneration 20, SR 42, DR 15/good and epic and silver, negative energy aura
Saves:	Fort +22, Ref +26, Will +43
Abilities:	Str 43, Dex 15, Con –, Int 28, Wis 22, Cha 42
Skills:	Bluff +85, Concentration +85, Diplomacy +97, Hide -2, Jump +1, Intimidate +91, Knowledge (arcana, history, religion, the planes) +78, Listen +77, Search +78, Sense Motive +75, Spellcraft +84, Spot +77
Feats:	Alertness, Cleave, Dodge, Expertise, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (touch), Improved Critical (eye ray), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability, Run, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (touch), Weapon Focus (eye ray), Whirlwind Attack, Devastating Critical (touch), Overwhelming Critical (touch), Undead Mastery, Zone of Animation
Environment:	Any
Organization:	Solitary
Challenge Rating:	30
Treasure:	Standard
Alignment:	Always lawful evil
Advancement:	67–80 HD (Large); 81–100 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment:	—

An atropal’s natural weapons are treated as epic, evil, and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Combat

Spell-Like At will—animate dead, blasphemy, greater create undead, create undead, cone of cold, desecrate, greater dispel magic, finger of death, greater invisibility, plane shift, slay living, speak with dead, spectral hand, greater teleport, unholy aura; 5/day—haste, project image, weird. Caster level 30th; save DC 26 + spell level.

The save DCs are Charisma-based

Rebuke/Command Undead (Su): It can rebuke or command undead as a cleric with a level equal to the atropal’s HD + 6.

Negative Energy Aura (Su): A 30-foot-radius spread negative energy aura spreads from each atropal. All undead in the field (including the atropal) are treated as if having turn resistance +20 and a negative energy version of fast healing 20. Living creatures in the aura are treated as having ten Energy Drains unless they have some sort of negative energy protection or protection from evil. Creatures with 10 or fewer HD or levels perish (and, at the atropal’s option, rise as spectres under the atropal’s command 1 minute later).

Constitution Drain (Su): When the atropal hits a living opponent with a touch attack, the opponent takes 5 points of permanent Constitution drain, or 10 points on a critical hit. The atropal heals 20 points of damage, or 40 points on a critical hit, whenever it drains Constitution, gaining any excess as temporary hit points. These temporary hit points last a maximum of 1 hour. The attack allows a fortitude save (DC 59). The DC is Charisma-based.

Energy Drain (Su): When the atropal hits with a ranged touch attack (a ray of darkness that it shoots from one eye to a range of 400 feet), the resultant Energy Drain bestows four Energy Drains, or eight Energy Drains on a critical hit. For each Energy Drain bestowed on an opponent, the atropal heals 10 points of damage, or 20 on a critical hit, gaining any excess as temporary hit points. These temporary hit points last a maximum of 1 hour. After 24 hours have passed, the afflicted opponent must attempt a fortitude save (DC 59) for each Energy Drain. If successful, the Energy Drain goes away with no harm to the creature; otherwise, the creature’s level decreases by one. The DC is Charisma-based.

Regeneration (Ex): Atropals take normal damage from good weapons or sentient weapons (or otherwise living weapons).

Summon Nightcrawler (Sp): Five times per day an atropal can summon a nightcrawler.

Abomination Traits: Immune to polymorphing, petrification, and other form-altering attacks; not subject to Energy Drain, ability drain, ability damage, or death from massive damage; immune to mind-affecting effects; fire resistance 20; cold resistance 20; nondetection; true seeing at will; blindsight 500 ft.; telepathy out to 1,000 ft.

Undead Traits: Immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, mind-affecting effects, and any effect requiring a fortitude save unless it also works on objects. Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, or Energy Drain. Negative energy heals. Not at risk of death from massive damage, but destroyed at 0 hit points or less. Darkvision 60 ft. Cannot be raised; resurrection works only if creature is willing.

Atropal

Large Undead, Lawful Evil

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Armor Class: 20 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 480 (40d10 + 200)
Speed: 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
30 (+10)	20 (+5)	26 (+8)	28 (+9)	22 (+6)	30 (+10)

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Saving Throws: Dex +13, Con +16, Wis +14, Cha +18
Damage Resistances: Cold, Fire, Lightning; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities: Poison, Psychic
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Deafened, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Senses: Blindsight 120 ft., Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 16
Languages: Understands all languages it knew in life but cannot speak
Challenge Rating: 30 (155,000 XP)

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Traits

• Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the Atropal to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant. On a success, the Atropal drops to 1 hit point instead.
• Aura of Negativity. The Atropal emits a 60-foot-radius aura of negative energy. All living creatures that start their turn within this aura take 20 (6d6) necrotic damage, and all undead within the aura regain hit points equal to the damage dealt. This aura cannot be dispelled.
• Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the Atropal fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
• Spellcasting. The Atropal is an 18th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 26, +18 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following spells prepared:
  • Cantrips (at will): Chill Touch, Mage Hand, Minor Illusion, Thaumaturgy
  • 1st level (4 slots): Animate Dead, Inflict Wounds, Ray of Sickness
  • 2nd level (3 slots): Blindness/Deafness, Darkness, Shadow Blade
  • 3rd level (3 slots): Bestow Curse, Vampiric Touch
  • 4th level (3 slots): Blasphemy, Greater Invisibility
  • 5th level (2 slots): Cloudkill, Dominate Person
  • 6th level (2 slots): Circle of Death, Harm
  • 7th level (2 slots): Finger of Death, Forcecage
  • 8th level (1 slot): Power Word Kill
  • 9th level (1 slot): Weird

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Actions

• Multiattack. The Atropal makes three attacks: two with its Touch and one with its Eye Ray.
• Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 40 (8d8 + 10) necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 26 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6) points of permanent Constitution damage.
• Eye Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +18 to hit, range 300 ft., one target. Hit: 50 (10d10) necrotic damage, and the target must make a DC 26 Constitution saving throw or be affected as if by the Energy Drain spell, losing one level.
• Summon Nightcrawler (Recharge 5–6). The Atropal summons 1d4 + 1 Nightcrawlers (see stats below) that appear in unoccupied spaces within 60 feet of the Atropal. They act immediately after the Atropal in the initiative order and remain for 1 minute or until destroyed.

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Legendary Actions

The Atropal can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Atropal regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

• Cast a Spell. The Atropal casts a spell from its spell list, expending a spell slot as normal.
• Touch Attack. The Atropal makes a touch attack.
• Move. The Atropal moves up to half its flying speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

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Regional Effects

The region surrounding an Atropal’s lair is warped by its dark magic, which creates the following effects:

• Necrotic Landscape. Plants within 1 mile of the lair wither and die, and animals become restless and aggressive. The land appears gray and lifeless, and all water sources are tainted, dealing 2d6 necrotic damage to any creature that drinks from them.
• Undead Manifestation. The Atropal can summon 1d4 Skeletons or Zombies to its lair per day. These undead serve the Atropal, attacking any who intrude upon its domain.
• Aura of Fear. Creatures within 1 mile of the lair feel a sense of dread. Any creature that starts its turn within this range must succeed on a DC 26 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

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Lore

The Atropal is the grotesque embodiment of a godling that never came to fruition, a stillborn abomination cursed to wander the planes of existence. Driven by a twisted desire to spread death and despair, it embodies the very essence of necromancy and malevolence, reveling in its power to command the undead. Legends say that it was once a favored servant of dark deities, but its rejection by the divine left it in an eternal state of rage and vengeance.

Atropals often dwell in ancient ruins, forgotten temples, or any place steeped in death and decay. They seek to corrupt and consume, turning any living being into an undead servant. These malevolent beings are known to forge pacts with dark forces, seeking out powerful magic items that enhance their already formidable abilities.

Weaknesses

• Radiant Damage Vulnerability: The Atropal takes double damage from radiant damage.
• Good-Aligned Weapons: It has a disadvantage against attacks made with good-aligned weapons.

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Magic Items Associated with Atropals

• Amulet of Dark Majesty: Grants +2 to Charisma checks and allows the wearer to cast Animate Dead once per long rest.
• Wand of Necrotic Power: A wand that allows the Atropal to cast Vampiric Touch at will.