WARLO C K : TH E UN DEAD EXPANDED SPELL LIST
1st-level Undead feature
You've made a pact with a deathless being, a crea
ture that defies the cycle and life and death, forsak The Undead lets you choose from an expanded list
ing its mortal shell so it might eternally pursue its of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The follow
unfathomable ambitions. For such beings, time and ing spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.
morality are fleeting things, the concerns of those
for whom grains of sand still rush through life's U N D E A D E X PA N D E D S P E L L S
hourglass. Having once been mortal themselves, Spell Level Spells
these ancient undead know firsthand the paths of 1 st bane. false life
ambition and the routes past the doors of death. 2nd blindness/deafness, phantasmalforce
They eagerly share this profane knowledge, along
3 rd phantom steed, speak with dead
with other secrets, with those who work their will
4th death ward, greater invisibility
among the living.
Beings of this type include the demilich Acererak, 5th antilife shell, cloudkill
the vampire tyrant Kas the Bloody-Handed, the
githyanki lich-queen Vlaakith, the dracolich Drag FORM OF DREAD
otha, the undead pharaoh Ankhtepot, and the elu 1st-level Undead feature
sive Darklord, Azalin Rex. You manifest an aspect of your patron's dread
ful power. As a bonus action, you transform for
1 minute. You gain the following benefits while
transformed:
• You gain temporary hit points equal to ldlO + your
warlock level.
• Once during each of your turns, when you hit a
creature with an attack roll, you can force it to
make a Wisdom saving throw, and if the saving
throw fails, the target is frightened of you until the
end of your next turn.
• You are immune to the frightened condition.
You can transform a number of times equal to your
proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses
when you finish a long rest.
The appearance of your Form of Dread reflects
some aspect of your patron. For example, your form
could be a shroud of shadows forming the crown
and robes of your lich patron, or your body might
glow with glyphs from ancient funerary rites and
be surrounded by desert winds, suggesting your
mummy patron.
GRAVE TOUCHED
6th-level Undead feature
Your patron's powers have a profound effect on
your body and magic. You don't need to eat, drink,
or breathe.
In addition, once during each of your turns, when
you hit a creature with an attack roll and roll dam
age against the creature, you can replace the dam
age type with necrotic damage. While you are using
your Form of Dread, you can roll one additional
damage die when determining the necrotic damage
the target takes.
Wo o o E L F WARLOCK
O F T H E Li N D E A D
30 C H A P T E R 1 I C H A RACTER C REATION
NECROTIC HUSK BAC KGROUNDS
10th-level Undead feature
The following background features explore origins
Your connection to undeath and necrotic energy suited to characters in horror adventures. Optional
now saturates your body. You have resistance to features and characteristics for characters of any
necrotic damage. If you are transformed using your background suggest how portentous forces might
Form of Dread, you instead become immune to ne influence anyone's life. Additionally, the haunted one
crotic damage. and investigator backgrounds provide options for
In addition, when you would be reduced to 0 hit characters shaped by or determined to reveal the
points, you can use your reaction to drop to 1 hit mysteries surrounding them. Finally, a selection of
point instead and cause your body to erupt with horror trinkets provide characters options to carry
deathly energy. Each creature of your choice that is their own personal terrors.
within 30 feet of you takes necrotic damage equal to
2d10 + your warlock level. You then gain 1 level of GENERAL BAC KGROUND FEATURE S
exhaustion. Once you use this reaction, you can't do
This section presents optional features for any
so again until you finish ld4 long rests.
background. You may replace the standard feature
SPIRIT PROJECTION of your background with any one of the options pre
14th-level Undead feature sented here.
Your spirit can become untethered from your phys INHERITOR
ical form. As an action, you can project your spirit An ancestor or mentor's deeds earned them a place
from your body. The body you leave behind is uncon in legend. Now it's your turn. You are the clear in
scious and in a state of suspended animation. heritor of a famed legacy. You've inherited a token
Your spirit resembles your mortal form in almost from your predecessor, something that marks you
every way, replicating your game statistics but not as their inheritor, such as a signet ring, signature
your possessions. Any damage or other effects piece of clothing, or notable weapon.
that apply to your spirit or physical body affects Additionally, any time you reveal your le�acy, you
the other. Your spirit can remain outside your swiftly learn the local opinion of your predecessor.
body for up to 1 hour or until your concentration is If locals have never heard of your predecessor, noth
broken (as if concentrating on a spell). When your ing changes. If they have, rumors of your connection
projection ends, your spirit returns to your body or spread swiftly, and many locals consider you either
your body magically teleports to your spirit's space a hero or a threat. Heroes are welcomed and might
(your choice). easily gain an audience with local leaders. Threats
While projecting your spirit, you gain the follow are encouraged to leave before they invite danger.
ing benefits:
MIST WANDERER
Your spirit and body gain resistance to bludgeon
The Mists whisper to you and guide you through
ing, piercing, and slashing damage.
their mysterious eddies. You immediately know if an
• When you cast a spell of the conjuration or necro
object you're touching is a Mist talisman (detailed in
mancy school, the spell doesn't require verbal or
chapter 3). You recognize where the talisman origi
somatic components or material components that
nates from if you have been to its domain of origin.
lack a gold cost.
• You have a flying speed equal to your walking SPIRIT MEDIUM
speed and can hover. You can move through crea After a fateful experience, you believe you're aligned
tures and objects as if they were difficult terrain, with spirits and can serve as a conduit for their
but you take l d lO force damage if you end your insights and goals. You have advantage on any Ar
turn inside a creature or an object. cana or Religion check you make to remember or
• While you are using your Form of Dread, once research information about spirits and the afterlife.
during each of your turns when you deal necrotic Additionally, you begin your adventuring career with
damage to a creature, you regain hit points equal a custom-made device for communing with other
to half the amount of necrotic damage dealt. worldly forces, perhaps a spirit board, a tarokka
Once you use this feature, you can't do so again deck, an automatic writing planchette, dowsing
until you finish a long rest. rods, a cup for tea leaves, or a device of your own de
sign. Add your proficiency bonus to any ability check
you make using this type of divining tool.
C H A PTER 1 j C H A RACTER C REATION 31
H O R RO R C H A RA C T E R P E R S O N A L ITY TR A I T S
You can u se background features to con nect char dl2 Personality Trait
acters between campaigns. Characters who have
previously adventured in Ravenloft, such as those I had an encou nter that I believe gives me a special
from a previous Curse of Strahd campaign, make good affinity with a su pernatural creature or event.
candid ates for bei n g you r new character's mentor or 2 A signature piece of cloth ing or distinct weapon
relative. Alternatively, the deed of your characters in serves as an emblem of who I am.
past adventures m ight have i m pacted you r new char
acter, throwi ng them i nto action or danger. Whatever 3 I never accept that I'm out of my depth.
detai ls you and you r OM decide upon, such connec 4 I m ust know the answer to every secret. N o door
tions can fo rge the conti nuing legend of a whole fa m i ly remains u nopened i n my presence.
of heroes.
S I let people u nderestimate me, revealing my fu l l
If you're i nterested in exploring this, the I n heritor
background feature provides a token that m ight be competency o n l y t o those close t o me.
passed on from a previous character. Perhaps it's a 6 I compulsively seek to collect trophies of my trav
signature tool, a journal, or a dormant (or misplaced) els and victories.
magic item. Work with your OM to detail this i n h eri
tance and how it can factor into future adventures. 7 It doesn't matter if the whole world's against me.
I ' l l always do what I think is right.
TRAUMA SURVIVOR 8 I have morbid interests and a macabre aesthetic.
You survived. Whatever it was, you made it through, 9 Ihave a personal ritua l , mantra, or relaxation
and you can help others do the same. People view method I use to deal with stress.
you as an expert on the traumatic situation you 10 N oth ing i s more important than life, and I never
faced-be it a specific sort of violence, illness, or leave anyone in danger.
otherwise. You are aware of nonmagical recovery 11 I 'm q u ick to j u m p to extreme solutions. Why risk a
techniques, common resources, and misinforma
lesser option not working?
tion. You know how to speak to sympathetic doctors,
12 I 'm easily startled, but I ' m not a coward.
clergy, and local leaders and can convince them to
shelter one person (other than yourself) at a modest
lifestyle for up to one month. H O R R O R C H A R ACT E R I D E A L S
dl2 Ideal
TRAVELER
You come from somewhere else, a place others Adrenaline. I 've experienced s uch stra ngeness that
couldn't begin to understand. Perhaps your home is now I feel alive only in extreme situations.
a unique corner of the Land of the Mists or another 2 Balance. I strive to cou nter the deeds of someone
world entirely. In any case, you and other travelers for whom I feel responsible.
have shared experiences. You can find a place to 3 Bound. I 've wronged someone and m ust work
hide, rest, or recuperate among sympathetic trading their will to avoid thei r cu rse.
caravans, itinerant families, or displaced groups, so
4 Escape. I believe there is someth ing beyond the
long as you don't present yourself as a danger. Such
world I know, and I need to find it.
groups will hide you from the law or anyone search
ing for you, though they won't risk their lives for you. S Legacy. I m ust do something great so that I'm re
Additionally, you can tell whether an object you can membered , and my time is running out.
see and touch is from your homeland with near per 6 M isdirection. I work vigorously to keep others from
fect accuracy. realizing my flaws or m isdeeds.
7 Obsession. I 've l ived this way for so long that I
HORROR C HARACTE R I STIC S
can't imagine another way.
Characters in a horror-focused campaign might 8 Obligation. I owe it to my people, faith, family, or
have distinct motivations and characteristics. teacher to conti nue a vau nted legacy.
Use the following tables to supplement your back
9 Promise. My life is no longer my own. I m ust fu lfill
ground's suggested characteristics or to inspire
the dream of someone who's gone.
those of your own design.
10 Revelation. I need to know what lies beyond the
mysteries of death, the world, or the M ists.
11 Sanctuary. I know the forces at work i n the world
and strive to create islands apart from them.
12 Truth. I care about the truth above all else, even if
it doesn't benefit anyone.
32 C H A PT E R 1 I C H A RACT E R C R EAT I O N
H O R R O R C H A R AC T E R B O N DS H O R R O R C H A R A C T E R FLAWS
dl2 Bond dl2 Flaw
I desperately need to get back to someone or I believe doom follows me and that anyone who
someplace, but I lost them in the M ists. gets close to me will face a tragic end.
2 Everything I do is i n the service of a powerful m as 2 I'm convi nced someth ing is after me, appea ri ng in
ter, one I m ust keep a secret from everyone. mirrors, d reams, and places where no one could.
3 I owe much to my vanished mentor. I seek to con 3 I ' m especially superstitious and live life seeking to
tinue their work even as I search to find them. avoid bad l uck, wicked spi rits, or the M ists.
4 I 've seen great darkness, and I ' m committed to be 4 I 've done u nspeakable evi l and will do anything to
ing a l ight agai n st it-the l ight of all lights. prevent others from finding out.
5 Someone I love has become a monster, m u rderer, 5 I am exceptionally cred ulous and believe any story
or other threat. It's up to me to redeem them. or legend immed iately.
6 The world has been convinced of a terri ble lie. It's 6 I'm a skeptic and don't believe in the power of ritu
u p to me to reveal the truth. als, religion, superstition, or spi rits.
7 I deeply miss someone and am q u ick to adopt peo 7 I know my future is written and that anything I do
ple who rem i n d me of them. will lead to a prophesied end.
8 A great evi l dwells with i n me. I will fi ght against it 8 I need to find the best in everyone and everything,
and the world's other evi ls for as long as I can. even when that means denying obvious malice.
9 I 'm des perately seeking a cure to an affliction or a 9 I 've seen the evil of a type of place-l i ke forests ,
curse, either for someone close to me for myself. cities , or graveyards-and resist goin g there.
10 S pirits are d rawn to me. I d o a l l I can to help them 10 I'm exceptionally cautious, planning laboriously
find peace. and devising cou ntless conti ngencies.
11 I u se my cunning mind to solve mysteries and find 11 I have a reputation for defeati ng a great evi l , but
justice for those who've been wronged. that's a lie and the wicked force knows.
12 I lost someone I care about, but I stil l see them i n 12 I know the ends always justify the means and am
gui lty visions, recurring d reams, or as a spirit. quick to make sacrifices to attain my goals.
C H A PT E R 1 I C H A RACTER C R EATION 33
