Halloween Inspired Creatures & Traits

Happy almost Halloween everyone! I don't typically do special holiday themed posts but thought I'd make an exception this time. With my love of undead themed campaigns, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that I try to run a horror/undead inspired one-shot around Halloween. As such, I have a bit of material that I can share that should fit in nicely with Halloween inspired tabletop RPG sessions. Hopefully someone gets some use of these. They are intended for use with D&D 5e, though I hope it will help regardless. Also feel free to change the names I used. In fact you probably want to. I often let my players name the new creatures they come across.

Crawling Half

Crawling claws, you heard of them? Well, there are other forms of crawling undead too. Most of them smell.

Crawling Half

Medium Undead, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 8

Hit points 6 (1d6 + 3)

Speed 15 ft. (Or half the creature's normal zombie speed)

Ability	Score
Strength	13
Dexterity	6
Constitution	16
Intelligence	3
Wisdom	6
Charisma	5

Challenge 1/8 (25XP)

Actions
Swipe. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

Hit: 1d6 + 1 (4)

The creature makes grappling checks with disadvantage and creatures trying to shove the Crawling Half have advantage.

Variant 1: The Crawling Half has the zombie's Undead Fortitude feature.

Variant 2: The first time a zombie hits 0 hit points and succeeds on its constitution saving throw, it is instead cut in half. The top half becomes a crawling half with 1 hit point and the Zombies Undead Fortitude feature. Recommended for casual implementation only/when large damage is done but the zombie still makes its save.

The above assumes a human. For more general use, cut the speed of the creature in half, add disadvantage for grappling and advantage for creatures trying to shove the crawling half.

Shadow Touched

Shades and shadows are but one possible result of touching shadow realms and/or playing with magic. Living creatures can be touched as well. From manipulating shadows to becoming one with them, the potential results are many and varied. What they have in common is that they are terrifying to be sure.

Some can move like shadows, or like sand. They cannot be caught as they move past you in this way. Just try keeping your eyes on them. It's impossible. It seems like one moment they are there and the next they are beside you. Some can even turn your own shadow against you.

Shadow Walk 

The creature can use its bonus action to move from one area of dim or darker light to another. The areas cannot be further apart than the normal speed of the creature.

Variant 1: You must spend 5 speed for every square between the two shadows. This variant does not cost a bonus action.

Shadow Glide

The creature does not provoke opportunity attacks as it moves.

Variant 1: Opportunity attacks against the creature have disadvantage.

Shadow Slip 

The creature can spend 10 ft. of movement to escape a grapple.

Variant: Change the amount of movement however you wish. It may depend on the type of creature.

Variant 1: Instead of costing movement, it costs a bonus action.

Shadow Influence – Grab

As an action the creature forces a target within line of sight to be grappled by its own shadow. It uses the target's Strength(Athletics) for the check.

Variant 1: Pick a DC based on the creatures control of shadows. Use this as the Strength(Athletics) for the grapple check.

Monster Ideas (Less Serious)

Head Thrower

Use the zombie stats and description with the following modification(s):

• The zombie caries its own head.
• The zombie will make a range 20/40 ft. attack by throwing its own head at a target at the first opportunity. Hit: 1d6 piercing damage and roll a grapple check. On a success, the target takes 1d6 piercing damage at the end of the turn.
• Once its head is thrown, the zombie can only see what its head can see. If in doubt, roll 1d4 and use it like a compass (1 – N, 2 – E, 3 – S, 4 – W).
• If the zombie can't see anything through its eyes, it tries it's best to regain its head. Add the blinded condition until something comes into view. The zombie will probably have a general idea of where its head is and try to fumble towards it. It may have trouble telling friend from foe, walk off cliffs, or have similar confusion while fumbling in this manner.

Though dumb, they are smart enough to realize they see through the eyes in their head. I've seen these things peek over hedges by grabbing their head by the hair and lifting it as high as they could. The crafty wizard can use these guys in very interesting ways as well. A friend of mine would order one to throw its head around a corner and then use the zombies reaction as an alarm. If you wish to imitate this, I'd suggest making sure you don't stand in front of the zombie before giving the order.

Vampire Cultist

For whatever reason, vampires are popular. Every now and then you run across a humanoid who pretends to be a vampire or does its best to live like a vampire in hopes that it will somehow inspire the “blessing” of vampirism. No action is too far to become a vampire for these people.

Old Work

I'll also link to my previous Shadow Hand creature. Hopefully someone out there finds it useful.