Skull Lord

Medium undead, lawful evil

Armor Class

18 (plate)

Hit Points

105 (14d8 + 42)

Speed

30 ft.

STR

14 (+2)

DEX

16 (+3)

CON

17 (+3)

INT

16 (+3)

WIS

15 (+2)

CHA

21 (+5)

Damage Immunities

poison

Damage Resistances

cold, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Condition Immunities

blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned, stunned, unconscious

Senses

darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 22

Skills

Athletics +7, History +8, Perception +12, Stealth +8

Languages

all the languages it knew in life

Challenge

15 (13,000 XP)

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.

Spellcasting. The skull lord is a 13th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). The skull lord knows the following sorcerer spells:

Cantrips (at will): chill touch, fire bolt, mage hand, poison spray, ray of frost, shocking grasp
1st level (4 slots): magic missile, expeditious retreat, thunderwave
2nd level (3 slots): mirror image, scorching ray
3rd level (3 slots): fear, haste
4th level (3 slots): dimension door, ice storm
5th level (2 slots): cloudkill, cone of cold
6th level (1 slot): eyebite
7th level (1 slot): finger of death

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

The skull lord 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 skull lord regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

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.