Death Tyrant

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Death Tyrant Introduction

In the shadowy recesses of the world, where light dares not tread and hope is but a distant memory, there lurks a creature of unimaginable dread—the Death Tyrant. This abominable entity, a twisted echo of the beholder's malevolent form, floats silently through the darkness, its skeletal visage a haunting reminder of the life it once possessed. Its eye sockets, now hollow and devoid of flesh, burn with an eerie, otherworldly light, casting ghastly shadows that dance upon the walls of its lair.

The Death Tyrant's presence is heralded by an unnatural chill that seeps into the bones, a prelude to the terror it brings. Its central eye, a void of malevolence, surveys its domain with an unyielding gaze, while the spectral orbs that hover above its skull pulse with necrotic energy, ready to unleash death upon any who dare intrude. Each of these floating eyes is a harbinger of doom, capable of casting spells that can wither flesh and shatter minds.

Legends speak of the Death Tyrant as a once-powerful beholder, consumed by its own paranoia and lust for immortality. In its quest to transcend death, it transformed into this undead horror, forsaking its corporeal form for one of bone and shadow. It is said that the Death Tyrant's lair is a place of desolation, a forgotten ruin or a forsaken cavern, where the air is thick with the stench of decay and the whispers of the damned echo through the darkness.

Adventurers who seek to challenge the Death Tyrant must steel themselves against its formidable powers and the oppressive aura of dread that surrounds it. Many have tried to vanquish this undead monstrosity, but few have returned to tell the tale. Those who have survived speak of a creature that is not only a master of death but also a cunning strategist, capable of manipulating its environment to its advantage.

As you stand on the precipice of its domain, the weight of the legends presses upon you. The air grows colder, and the shadows seem to stretch and writhe with a life of their own. Somewhere in the darkness, the Death Tyrant waits, its hollow eyes watching, its spectral orbs ready to strike. Will you have the courage to face this embodiment of death, or will you become yet another soul lost to its insatiable hunger?

Death Tyrant Skills & Traits

Skills

• Perception +12

Senses

• Darkvision 120 ft.
• Passive Perception 22

Languages

• Abyssal
• Infernal
• Common

Abilities

• Legendary Resistance (3/Day): If the death tyrant fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
• Negative Energy Cone: The death tyrant's central eye emits an invisible, magical 150-foot cone of negative energy. At the start of each of its turns, the death tyrant decides which way the cone faces and whether the cone is active. Any creature in that area can't regain hit points. Any humanoid that dies there becomes a zombie under the death tyrant's command. The dead humanoid retains its place in the initiative order and animates at the start of its next turn, provided that its body hasn't been completely destroyed.

Actions

• Eye Rays: The death tyrant shoots three of the following magical eye rays at random (reroll duplicates), choosing one to three targets it can see within 120 feet of it:
  • Charm Ray: The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the death tyrant for 1 hour, or until the death tyrant harms the creature.
  • Paralyzing Ray: The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  • Fear Ray: The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if the death tyrant is visible to the target, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  • Slowing Ray: The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target's speed is halved for 1 minute. In addition, the creature can't take reactions, and it can take either an action or a bonus action on its turn, not both. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  • Enervation Ray: The targeted creature must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  • Telekinetic Ray: If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or the death tyrant moves it up to 30 feet in any direction. It is restrained by the ray's telekinetic grip until the start of the death tyrant's next turn or until the death tyrant is incapacitated.
  • Sleep Ray: The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or fall asleep and remain unconscious for 1 minute. The target awakens if it takes damage or another creature takes an action to wake it.
  • Petrification Ray: The targeted creature must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature begins to turn to stone and is restrained. It must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is petrified until freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.
  • Disintegration Ray: If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 45 (10d8) force damage. If this damage reduces the creature to 0 hit points, its body becomes a pile of fine gray dust. If the target is a Large or smaller nonmagical object or creation of magical force, it is disintegrated without a saving throw. If the target is a Huge or larger object or creation of magical force, this ray disintegrates a 10-foot cube of it.
  • Death Ray: The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 55 (10d10) necrotic damage. The target dies if the ray reduces it to 0 hit points.

Legendary Actions

• The death tyrant 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 death tyrant regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
  • Eye Ray: The death tyrant uses one random eye ray.

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Battle Tips for the Death Tyrant

The Death Tyrant is a formidable undead beholder, known for its terrifying abilities and strategic prowess in battle. As a Dungeon Master, utilizing this creature effectively can create a memorable and challenging encounter for your players. Here are some tips to maximize the Death Tyrant's potential:

Using the Death Tyrant in Battle

• Leverage Its Lair: The Death Tyrant often resides in a lair filled with traps and undead minions. Use these environmental advantages to weaken and disorient the party before they even face the Death Tyrant directly.
• Control the Battlefield: With its eye rays, the Death Tyrant can control the flow of battle. Use the Disintegration Ray to eliminate key threats and the Paralyzing Ray to incapacitate powerful melee fighters.
• Undead Reinforcements: The Death Tyrant can animate the dead, providing a constant stream of minions to harass and distract the party. Use these minions to block paths, absorb damage, and create chaos.

Coordinating with Multiple Creatures

• Undead Horde: Pair the Death Tyrant with a variety of undead creatures, such as zombies and skeletons, to overwhelm the party. The Death Tyrant can use its eye rays to support these minions, ensuring they remain a persistent threat.
• Strategic Retreats: If the battle turns against the Death Tyrant, it can use its ability to fly and its lair's layout to retreat and regroup. This can prolong the encounter and wear down the party's resources.
• Allied Beholders: In rare cases, the Death Tyrant might ally with other beholders or beholder-kin. Coordinate their eye rays to create devastating combinations, such as using a Petrification Ray followed by a Disintegration Ray.

Fleeing and Survival Tactics

• Escape Routes: Design the lair with hidden passages and escape routes that the Death Tyrant can use to flee if necessary. This can lead to a multi-stage encounter as the party chases the creature through its domain.
• Feigning Death: The Death Tyrant can use its undead nature to feign destruction, only to rise again when the party is vulnerable or distracted.
• Psychological Warfare: Use illusions and fear-based tactics to demoralize the party, making them more likely to retreat or make mistakes during the encounter.

By employing these strategies, a Dungeon Master can create a dynamic and challenging encounter with a Death Tyrant, testing the party's tactical skills and resource management.