Pale Deathguard - Magic Item (Patreon)

- Updated v 1.1 -

💀🌑🛡️ Let's tread lightly through this ghastly narrative, as within the armor’s desolate spirit, another layer of mystery, entwined in shadows, silently lingers. Barely perceptible murmurs of this spectral domain, a place of infinite lament where specters roam and unseen, nefarious powers stir, tease the edges of our darkest curiosities.

But let us pause here, on the brink of these melancholic shadows, as the passage to this haunting domain remains shrouded in secrecy and somber enigma, its chilling mysteries as yet untouched and unsolved, despite the quiet pursuits of numerous wanderers through the dark and unseen. 💀🌑🛡️

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pale Deathguard

Armor (any medium), very rare (requires attunement by a spellcaster)

This ominous armor is crafted from dark, enchanted leaves and adorned with a ribcage and glowing purple-eyed skull shoulder pads. The armor is paired with gloves that mimic the appearance of skeletal hands, channeling surges of purple energy that flow from the shoulder pads.

While wearing this armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC. Upon attunement, you also gain proficiency with this armor.

When you enter combat wearing the Pale Deathguard and roll initiative, consult the unmodified d20 result to determine one of the following effects. This effect begins on your first turn and lasts either until its specified duration concludes or combat ends, whichever comes first:

1-4: Soul Leech Aura - A dark mist emanates from the armor. Any enemy that starts its turn within 5 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 15) or take 1d6 necrotic damage and grant you that many temporary hit points.

5-8: Bone Shatter - Your skeletal gloves crackle with dark energy. Your next melee attack deals an additional 1d8 necrotic damage and forces the target to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 15) or have their hit point maximum reduced by the damage taken until they finish a long rest.

9-12: Skeletal Shield - When this effect activates, a skeletal apparition appears, weaving itself around you as a shield. You gain a +2 bonus to your AC, and when a creature hits you with a melee attack while you have this bonus, the skeleton retaliates, dealing 1d6 necrotic damage to the attacker. The skeleton shield dissipates at the start of your next turn.

13-15: Summon Bone Minion - Skeletal hands burst from the ground within 10 feet of you, forming into a skeleton under your command. The skeleton uses the statistics from the skeleton but disintegrates into dust after 1 minute or when reduced to 0 hit points. The skeleton acts immediately after your turn in the initiative order and obeys your commands. You can only have one skeleton summoned by this armor at a time.

16-19: Necrotic Chains - Necrotic chains lash out from your armor, reaching into the afterlife. Two spectral skeletons are pulled from the ether and explode in a burst of necrotic energy. Each creature of your choice within a 15-foot radius must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 15). On a failed save, a creature takes 2d6 necrotic damage and cannot regain hit points until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and can regain hit points as normal.

20: Pale Lord - You can use your action to magically assume the form of an undead creature that you have seen before, with a challenge rating equal to or less than your level divided by 3, rounded down. You can stay in this form for the duration of the combat or until you fall to 0 hit points, at which point you revert back to your original form. While transformed, you retain your game statistics and ability to speak, but your AC equals the undead's or 10 + your Dexterity modifier, whichever is higher. Your gear melds into the new form, and you cannot activate, use, wield, or otherwise benefit from any of your equipment. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can't use them. You assume the hit points and Hit Dice of the undead form. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. If you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. You are limited in the actions you can perform by the nature of your undead form, and you can't speak, cast spells, or take any other action that requires hands or speech unless the undead form is capable of such actions.