Shadow in Dungeons & Dragons 5e
Basic Rules (2014)
Shadow CR: 1/2
STR
6 -2
DEX
14 +2
CON
13 +1
INT
6 -2
WIS
10 +0
CHA
8 -1
Stealth +4
Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
Amorphous. The shadow can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the shadow can take the Hide action as a bonus action.
Sunlight Weakness. While in sunlight, the shadow has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.
Actions
Strength Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 2d6+2 necrotic damage, and the target's Strength score is reduced by 1d4. The target dies if this reduces its Strength to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest.
If a non-evil humanoid dies from this attack, a new shadow rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.
Shadows are undead that resemble dark exaggerations of humanoid shadows.
Dark Disposition. From the darkness, the shadow reaches out to feed on living creatures’ vitality. They can consume any living creature, but they are especially drawn to creatures untainted by evil. A creature that lives a life of goodness and piety consigns its basest impulses and strongest temptations to the darkness where the shadows hunger. As a shadow drains its victim’s strength and physical form, the victim’s shadow darkens and begins to move of its own volition. In death, the creature’s shadow breaks free, becoming a new undead shadow hungry for more life to consume.
If a creature from which a shadow has been created somehow returns to life, its undead shadow senses the return. The shadow might seek its “parent” to vex or slay. Whether the shadow pursues its living counterpart, the creature that birthed the shadow no longer casts one until the monster is destroyed.
Undead Nature. A shadow doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Suggested Environments
Underdark, Urban
World Anvil: The Ultimate Worldbuilding Toolset & RPG Campaign Manager
Created for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters, World Anvil has everything you need to build your own homebrew RPG campaign setting, and run your games, either online or around the table!
- Speed up prep with a whole library of community statblocks you can copy (and edit!)
- Enthrall your players with interactive maps, timelines, and a whole wiki of your world
- Keep track of NPCs, PC character sheets, monster stats, treasure, journals, notes and more
- Quickly look up essential info with session notes, campaign map markers, and bookmarked lore at your fingertips
- Build your own campaign setting, or expand a prewritten campaign, with expertly created worldbuilding templates and prompts
- Control who sees what in your worldbuilding wiki with secrets and subscriber groups
- Collaborate with players and GMs to build the campaign setting of your dreams
- NEVER lose your notes!
GET STARTED TODAY!
Take the first step. Create your account. Your world and characters await!
100+ RPG systems
Find your way!
Resources
WHO WE ARE
LEGAL
Listen to our Podcast
