Buy me a coffeeGallowdead, The Chains of Justice Perverted
“Executed in chains and risen with vengeance, the Gallowdead turns torture into terror — and you might be next.”
“From the scaffold’s rusted chains, justice rots and rises.”
A Gallowdead is a grotesque skeletal revenant, its bones scorched black and rust-streaked from decay and torment. Massive spiked chains pierce its ribcage, fused with the marrow as if grown from the execution itself. Bits of desiccated flesh cling to bone, and tattered remnants of execution garb hang like funeral banners. Its eyes burn with a dull, unholy red glow, and its spiked chain slithers like a sentient serpent, dragging behind with a whispering rasp of metal on stone.
Behavior
Gallowdeads are silent sentinels of fear until provoked, then erupt into calculated violence. They move with grim purpose, often patrolling areas of past executions or lying dormant near gallows and scaffolds until the presence of the living reawakens their hatred. In combat, they exhibit eerie discipline, using their reach and chains to isolate and punish foes methodically, often targeting spellcasters and leaders first. They never speak, but a disturbing aura of whispers constantly radiates from them, sowing unease and madness.
Habitat
While they can exist anywhere, Gallowdeads are drawn to sites of execution, oppression, and injustice—abandoned gallows, blood-soaked battlefields, and ruined dungeons of tyrants. Their presence corrupts the land, attracting vermin, wilting crops, and spawning hauntings. These undead rarely wander far from their place of death unless commanded by dark forces, or driven by a need for vengeance or punishment.
Modus Operandi
Gallowdeads strike from a distance, wielding their spiked chains to lash and ensnare victims. Their first blow often delivers a surge of negative energy, draining the life from foes before they reel them in. Once grappled by the chain, victims find themselves helpless, hoisted like condemned criminals, while the Gallowdead methodically deals with others. The creature maintains relentless pressure on grappled foes, moving them into hazardous positions or isolating them for execution.
Motivation
Twisted echoes of their mortal selves, Gallowdeads are animated by rage, betrayal, and injustice—not necessarily at their execution, but at the meaninglessness of it. Whether used as instruments of tyranny or revenants of revenge, they harbor a burning need to reenact the horror of their own death upon the living. Some serve their killers out of magical compulsion or ironic devotion, while others break free to hunt tyrants, jailers, or even innocents who remind them of their past.
Gallowdead 5e
Gallowdead, Pathfinder
Gallowdead
Medium Undead, Chaotic Evil
Challenge: 16 (15,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus: +5
Armor Class
18 (natural armor)
Hit Points
225 (30d8 + 90)
Speed
30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 (+7) | 18 (+4) | — | 11 (+0) | 16 (+3) | 20 (+5) |
Saving Throws
Wis +9, Cha +10
Skills
Athletics +12, Intimidation +10, Perception +9
Damage Resistances
Necrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities
Cold, Poison
Condition Immunities
Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Senses
Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 19
Languages
Understands Common but does not speak
Traits
Chains of the Dead (1/Turn)
The Gallowdead’s first successful hit with its spiked chain each turn deals an additional 6d10 necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 18) and restrained. The Gallowdead does not become restrained while grappling a creature in this way and can maintain the grapple without using a free hand. It can grapple only one creature at a time.
Aura of Whispers (Psychic, Aura)
Any creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of the Gallowdead must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes shaken (disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks) for 1 minute. If already shaken, the creature becomes nauseated (incapacitated) until the end of its next turn. A creature that succeeds is immune to the Gallowdead’s Aura of Whispers for 24 hours. This is a language-dependent, auditory effect.
Undead Fortitude
If damage reduces the Gallowdead to 0 hit points, it makes a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal to 5 + the damage taken. On a success, it drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Multiattack
The Gallowdead makes two attacks with its Spiked Chain, or two Claw attacks if it is grappling a creature.
Spiked Chain
Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target
Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
On the first hit of each turn, Chains of the Dead applies.
Claw
Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target
Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) slashing damage
Reel the Damned (Recharge 5–6)
The Gallowdead yanks a creature grappled by its chain up to 20 feet directly toward it, slamming them into the ground. The target must make a DC 18 Strength saving throw, taking 27 (6d8) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. On a failure, the target also falls prone.
Legendary Actions
The Gallowdead can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. It regains all spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
- Lash Out. The Gallowdead makes one Spiked Chain attack.
- Unravel the Mind (Costs 2 Actions). A creature within 30 feet that is affected by Aura of Whispers must make a DC 18 Intelligence saving throw. On a failure, it takes 22 (4d10) psychic damage and is stunned until the end of its next turn.
- Gallows Drag. The Gallowdead moves up to half its speed and may drag a grappled creature with it, ignoring movement restrictions from the grapple.
Tactics
The Gallowdead is a battlefield controller that thrives in tight quarters or open gallows-like spaces. It opens combat by striding into proximity, forcing saving throws from its Aura of Whispers. It targets high-threat enemies—such as spellcasters or frontline damage dealers—with its Spiked Chain, using Chains of the Dead to grapple and isolate them. Once restrained, it switches to Claw attacks while maintaining its control.
It uses Reel the Damned to disrupt formation, pull targets from cover, or deliver punishing knockdowns. Its legendary actions allow it to maintain pressure between turns, punish those affected by its aura, and reposition enemies.
Environment
Gallowdeads are found near old execution sites, ruined courthouses, gallows, and castles ruled by tyrants. They may serve necromancers, death cults, or rise spontaneously in lands steeped in cruel injustice.
Gallowdead
This skeletal horror staggers under the weight of the massive hook and chain impaling the bones of its midsection.
Source Bestiary 4 pg. 119
Originally posted in Archives of Nethys
Some tyrants execute criminals, traitors, or those who dare insurrection on the end of hooked and spiked chains. Leaving the criminal to painfully hang and rot sends a message to those who would dare commit the same crimes. Sometimes such savage deaths have a strange and terrible consequence: the victim rises, grabs the instrument of its execution, and becomes a servant of those who condemned it.
| Gallowdead CR 16 |
| XP 76,800 CE Medium undead Init +8; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +3 Aura whispers (30 ft., DC 27) |
| DEFENSE |
| AC 31, touch 15, flat-footed 26 (+4 Dexterity, +1 Dodge, +16 natural) hp 228 (24d8+120) Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +17 Defensive Abilities Channel Resistance +6; DR 10/bludgeoning; Immune cold, undead traits |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed 30 ft. Melee spiked chain +26/+21/+16/+11 (2d4+10/19-20 plus chains of the dead) or 2 claws +25 (2d8+7) Space 5 ft., Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with spiked chain) |
| STATISTICS |
| Strength 24, Dexterity 19, Constitution -, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 16, Charisma 21 Base Atk +18; CMB +25; CMD 40 Feats Bleeding Critical, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Dodge, Improved Critical (spiked chain), Improved Initiative, Improved Vital Strike, Lunge, Power Attack, Step Up, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (spiked chain) Skills Climb +34, Escape Artist +28, Intimidate +32, Swim +31 Languages Common |
| SPECIAL ABILITIES |
| Aura of Whispers (Su) A gallowdead constantly whispers vile secrets and blasphemous chants. Any creature within 30 feet of a gallowdead must succeed at a DC 27 Will save or be shaken for 1d4 rounds. Already shaken creatures that fail this saving throw become nauseated by the secrets revealed. Each round, an affected creature can make a new Will save to recover from the effect – once a creature recovers from a gallowdead’s whispers, it is immune to this ability for 24 hours. Each overlapping whisper aura from additional gallowdead increases the save DC by 2. This is a language-based sonic effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. Chains of the Dead (Su) When a gallowdead uses its spiked chain, the first attack that hits a foe during the gallowdead’s turn deals an extra 12d6 points of negative energy damage (Will DC 27 half). This has no effect on undead creatures. In addition, the gallowdead can make a free combat maneuver check against its target with a +4 racial bonus. If the check succeeds, the target becomes grappled, but the gallowdead doesn’t gain the grappled condition. The gallowdead can make a free combat maneuver check each round to maintain its grip on the victim, but can’t take any special grapple actions against the victim except the move special action. When grappling a victim in this way, the gallowdead can’t attack with its spiked chain. The save DC is Charisma-based. |
| ECOLOGY |
| Environment any Organization solitary, pair, or plague (3-18) Treasure standard |