Monster: Dullahan

Monster: Dullahan

This conversion is something one of the readers requested. I was surprised that the dullahan appeared in D&D only in the 5th edition (if you do not count the headless horseman from Imagine Magazine #23). The dullahan also appears in Bestiary 2 for Pathfinder 1e. Both of the monsters are similar, so I decided to combine them into a single entry. Since there are some summoning abilities in play, I also had to convert some "support" monsters.

I vaguely remember that some media treat dullahans as fey, not as undead. In that case, you can remove the undead traits, such as Injury Tolerance (Unliving) and add Vulnerability (Cold Iron, x2) [-10] or something like that.

 

Dullahan [Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, page 233]

 
374 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST+4 [40]; HT+2 [20].
Secondary Characteristics Modifiers: HP+4 [8]; Will+3 [15]; Per+2 [10]; Basic Speed +0.5 [10].
Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Dark Vision [25]; Doesn’t Breathe [20]; Doesn’t Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn’t Sleep [20]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Immunity to Mind Control [30]; Indomitable [15]; Injury Tolerance (No Blood, No Eyes, No Head, No Neck, Unliving) [42]; Regeneration (Regular) [25]; See Invisible (Magic; Magical, -10%; True Sight, +50%) [21]; Temperature Tolerance 10 [10]; Unaging [15]; Unfazeable [15].
    Death’s Calling: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Only on living beings, ‑10%; Disadvantage, Vulnerability (Physical Attacks, x4), +80%; Extended Duration, 1,000x, +120%; Magical, -10%; Malediction 2, +150%; Secondary Unnatural, +10%; Terminal Condition, Dullahan’s death, -10%) [43].
    Headless Summoning [6]: Ally (Aberrant Head; Built on 5%; Constantly; Accessibility, Only when reeling, -80%; Conjured, +100%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Minion, +50%) [2] + Ally (Gnashing Head; Built on 5%; Constantly; Accessibility, Only when reeling, -80%; Conjured, +100%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Minion, +50%) [2] + Ally (Petrifying Head; Built on 5%; Constantly; Accessibility, Only when reeling, -80%; Conjured, +100%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Minion, +50%) [2].
    Fiery Skull: Burning Attack 2d (Blockable, -5%; Increased 1/2D, 2x, +5%; Magical, -10%; Reduced Range, 1/2, -10%; Takes Recharge, 5 seconds, -10%) [7].
    Frightful Presence: Terror (-2) (Magical, -10%; Presence, +25%) [58].
    Summon Mount: Ally (Lesser Nightmare; Built on 50%; Constantly; Conjured, +100%; Magical, -10%; Minion, +50%) [20].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal, +25%) [-25]; Code of Honor (Soldier’s) [-10]; Intolerance (Living) [-10]; Mute [-25]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; Obsession (6) (Find the lost head) [-20]; Social Stigma (Dead) [-20]; Unnatural [-50].
Quirks: Sexless [-1].
Features: Not Subject to Fatigue.
Creature Type: Undead.
 
Typical Stats

ST:	14	HP:	18	Speed:	6
DX:	10	Will:	13	Move:	6
IQ:	10	Per:	12
HT:	12	FP:	N/A	SM:	+0
Dodge:	10	Parry:	12U	DR:	6 (medium plate; torso, legs, arms)

    Axe (16): swing 2d+2 cutting, Reach 1.
    Punch (12): thrust 1d crushing (KYOS: 1d+2 crushing), Reach C.
    Death’s Calling (13): With a Concentrate maneuver, a dullahan may place death’s calling on a living creature that it can see. This is a magical attack that requires a Quick Contest of the dullahan’s Will against the target’s HT. Death’s calling manifests as a visible gray aura around the victim. If the victim fails to resist, he gains Vulnerability (Physical Attacks, x4) (p. B161) for one day. If he loses by 5 or more or rolls a critical failure, he additionally gains Fragile (Unnatural) (p. B137). Killing the dullahan instantly dispels death’s calling.
    Fiery Skull (16): 2d burning. Ranged attack (Acc 3, Range 10/50). Takes 5 seconds to recharge between two consecutive uses. Can be blocked or dodged, but not parried.
    Frightful Presence: A dullahan can activate this ability to cause all creatures within 10 yards of it to make a Fright Check at -2. If a victim succeeds at his Fright Check, he will be unaffected by the dullahan’s Frightful Presence for one hour.
    Headless Summoning: As soon as the dullahan is brought down below 1/3 HP, it becomes able to summon three death’s heads – an aberrant head, a gnashing head, and a petrifying head. They appear in hexes adjacent to the dullahan and obey its mental orders. If destroyed, they cannot be summoned again for one day. If the dullahan regains HP above the threshold, the summoned heads disappear and cannot be summoned agains until five minutes pass.
    Summon Mount: With a Concentrate maneuver, a dullahan can summon or dismiss a lesser nightmare. The summoned steed remains until it is slain or dismissed. If it is dismissed, the dullahan may resummon it five minutes later. If it is slain, the dullahan may resummons it one day later. The lesser nightmare obeys the dullahan’s mental commands.
 
    Traits: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal); Code of Honor (Soldier’s); Combat Reflexes; Dark Vision; Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep; High Pain Threshold; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards; Immunity to Mind Control; Indomitable; Infravision; Injury Tolerance (No Blood, No Eyes, No Head, No Neck, Unliving); Intolerance (Living); Mute; No Sense of Smell/Taste; Obsession (6) (Find the lost head); Regeneration (Regular); See Invisible (Magic; Magical; True Sight); Sexless; Social Stigma (Dead); Temperature Tolerance 10; Unaging; Unfazeable; Unnatural.
    Skills: Axe/Mace-16; Brawling-12; Innate Attack (Projectile)-16; Leadership-14; Riding (Equines)-14; Soldier-14; Strategy (Land)-14; Tactics-14.
    Creature Type: Undead.
 

Aberrant Head [Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, page 232]

 
-39 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST-7 [-70]; DX+1 (No Fine Manipulators, -40%) [12]; IQ-3 [-60].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: SM-5; Will+3 [15]; Per+3 [15].
Advantages: Doesn’t Breathe [20]; Doesn’t Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn’t Sleep [20]; Flight (Magical, -10%; Slow, -25%) [26]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Immunity to Mind Control [30]; Indomitable [15]; Infravision [10]; Injury Tolerance (No Blood, No Head, No Neck, No Vitals, Unliving) [42]; Sharp Teeth [1]; Temperature Tolerance 10 [10]; Unaging [15]; Unfazeable [15].
    Mind-Bending Bite: Affliction 1 (Will; Based on Will, +20%; Follow-Up, Sharp Teeth, +0%; Magical, -10%) [11].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal, +25%) [-25]; Disturbing Voice [-10]; No Manipulators [-50]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; One Eye [-15]; Reprogrammable [-10]; Social Stigma (Dead) [-20]; Unhealing (Total) [-30]; Unnatural [-50].
Quirks: Sexless [-1].
Features: No Legs (Aerial); Not Subject to Fatigue.
Creature Type: Undead.
 
Typical Stats

ST:	3	HP:	3	Speed:	5.25
DX:	11	Will:	10	Move:	5 air
IQ:	7	Per:	10
HT:	10	FP:	N/A	SM:	-5
Dodge:	8	Parry:	N/A	DR:	-

    Mind-Bending Bite (13): thrust 1d-5 cutting (KYOS: 1d-9 cutting) + follow-up affliction (mental stun, resisted by Will), Reach C.
 
    Traits: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal); Disturbing Voice; Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep; Flight (Magical; Slow); High Pain Threshold; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards; Immunity to Mind Control; Indomitable; Infravision; Injury Tolerance (No Blood, No Head, No Neck, No Vitals, Unliving); No Legs (Aerial); No Manipulators; No Sense of Smell/Taste; One Eye; Reprogrammable; Sexless; Social Stigma (Dead); Temperature Tolerance 10; Unaging; Unfazeable; Unnatural.
    Skills: Brawling-13.
    Creature Type: Undead.
 

Gnashing Head [Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, page 232]

 
-33 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST-7 [-70]; DX+1 (No Fine Manipulators, -40%) [12]; IQ-3 [-60].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: SM-5; Will+3 [15]; Per+3 [15].
Advantages: Doesn’t Breathe [20]; Doesn’t Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn’t Sleep [20]; Flight (Magical, -10%; Slow, -25%) [26]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Immunity to Mind Control [30]; Indomitable [15]; Infravision [10]; Injury Tolerance (No Blood, No Head, No Neck, No Vitals, Unliving) [42]; Sharp Teeth [1]; Temperature Tolerance 10 [10]; Unaging [15]; Unfazeable [15].
    Necrotic Bite: Toxic Attack 1d-2 (Follow-Up, Sharp Teeth, +0%; Magical, -10%) [2].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal, +25%) [-25]; Disturbing Voice [-10]; No Manipulators [-50]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; Reprogrammable [-10]; Social Stigma (Dead) [-20]; Unhealing (Total) [-30]; Unnatural [-50].
Quirks: Sexless [-1].
Features: No Legs (Aerial); Not Subject to Fatigue.
Creature Type: Undead.
 
Typical Stats

ST:	3	HP:	3	Speed:	5.25
DX:	11	Will:	10	Move:	5 air
IQ:	7	Per:	10
HT:	10	FP:	N/A	SM:	-5
Dodge:	8	Parry:	N/A	DR:	-

    Necrotic Bite (13): thrust 1d-5 cutting (KYOS: 1d-9 cutting) + follow-up 1d-2 toxic damage, Reach C.
 
    Traits: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal); Disturbing Voice; Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep; Flight (Magical; Slow); High Pain Threshold; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards; Immunity to Mind Control; Indomitable; Infravision; Injury Tolerance (No Blood, No Head, No Neck, No Vitals, Unliving); No Legs (Aerial); No Manipulators; No Sense of Smell/Taste; Reprogrammable; Sexless; Social Stigma (Dead); Temperature Tolerance 10; Unaging; Unfazeable; Unnatural.
    Skills: Brawling-13.
    Creature Type: Undead.

 

Petrifying Head [Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, page 232]

 
-21 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST-7 [-70]; DX+1 (No Fine Manipulators, -40%) [12]; IQ-3 [-60].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: SM-5; Will+3 [15]; Per+3 [15].
Advantages: Doesn’t Breathe [20]; Doesn’t Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn’t Sleep [20]; Flight (Magical, -10%; Slow, -25%) [26]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Immunity to Mind Control [30]; Indomitable [15]; Infravision [10]; Injury Tolerance (No Blood, No Head, No Neck, No Vitals, Unliving) [42]; Sharp Teeth [1]; Temperature Tolerance 10 [10]; Unaging [15]; Unfazeable [15].
    Petrifying Bite: Affliction 1 (HT; Attribute Penalty, DX-2, +20%; Follow-Up, Sharp Teeth, +0%; Magical, -10%; Secondary Paralysis, Variant, +30%) [14].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal, +25%) [-25]; Disturbing Voice [-10]; No Manipulators [-50]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; Reprogrammable [-10]; Social Stigma (Dead) [-20]; Unhealing (Total) [-30]; Unnatural [-50].
Quirks: Sexless [-1].
Features: No Legs (Aerial); Not Subject to Fatigue.
Creature Type: Undead.
 
Typical Stats

ST:	3	HP:	3	Speed:	5.25
DX:	11	Will:	10	Move:	5 air
IQ:	7	Per:	10
HT:	10	FP:	N/A	SM:	-5
Dodge:	8	Parry:	N/A	DR:	-

    Petrifying Bite (13): thrust 1d-5 cutting (KYOS: 1d-9 cutting) + follow-up affliction (resisted by HT, partial petrification imposes a -2 to DX for margin of failure minutes; failure by 5 or more or critical failure petrifies for margin of failure minutes), Reach C.
 
    Traits: Appearance (Monstrous; Universal); Disturbing Voice; Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep; Flight (Magical; Slow); High Pain Threshold; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards; Immunity to Mind Control; Indomitable; Infravision; Injury Tolerance (No Blood, No Head, No Neck, No Vitals, Unliving); No Legs (Aerial); No Manipulators; No Sense of Smell/Taste; Reprogrammable; Sexless; Social Stigma (Dead); Temperature Tolerance 10; Unaging; Unfazeable; Unnatural.
    Skills: Brawling-13.
    Creature Type: Undead.