Slaymate
by Paolo Davolio // Echidna Design
Concept, Art and Text from "Libris Mortis" (2004)
Slaymates are undead creatures given a semblance of life when a guardian’s betrayal, either outright or through negligence, leads to death. A slaymate’s appearance is a weird and twisted reflection of the form it had in life.
Slaymates are highly prized by necromancers, and thus are rarely encountered alone, but instead are found in the presence of evil spellcasters and others who dabble in necromancy. Many a slaymate can be found riding,
papoose style, on the back of a necromancer who
values the slaymate’s special abilities.
A slaymate is about the height and weight of
an eight-year-old human child.
Slaymate
Small Undead, Typically Lawful Evil
- Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 38 (7d6 + 14)
- Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 15 (+2)
- Saving Throws Dex +3
- Skills Perception +5, Stealth +3
- Damage Resistances necrotic
- Damage Immunities poison
- Condition Immunities poisoned
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
- Languages Common or any other language
- Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Pale Aura. A slaymate produces an invisible magical aura in a 10-foot-radius around itself. Any creature within the aura that casts a spell of the school of necromancy, can cast it at one level higher as if it was using a higher level spell slot (up to 9th level). Additionally, any creature within the aura that is using an effect that deals necrotic damage that is not a spell, can deal an extra 5 (1d10) necrotic damage with such an effect once per turn.
Playful. The slaymate has disadvantage on saving throws against being charmed.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) poison damage and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw against the slaymate's diseased bite. On a failure, the target contracts the pale waste and takes one level of exhaustion. The pale waste disease works just like the sewer plague (see Chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master's Guide) but with an incubation time of 1 day and DC 12.