Free · No sign-up · Beasts, horrors & bosses

Undead Monster Generator — 5e ghosts, wights & liches by CR

Ghosts, wights, liches and things that should have stayed buried, at the CR you need.

Artwork

Stat block

Actions

Lore

Describe your creature

Try

Challenge rating

Artwork, stat block and lore in about 30 seconds.Free creations join the public Bestiary. Terms.

What is the Undead Monster Generator?

This free undead monster generator makes custom 5e undead — ghosts, wights, revenants, liches or something new — with a full stat block at the challenge rating you choose. Undead get the immunities players expect (usually poison damage and the poisoned and exhaustion conditions), necrotic attacks, darkvision and a reason they won’t stay dead, plus artwork and lore. Free, no account required.

Example stat block: Lantern Wight

A CR 3 undead made with this generator, with every number worked out by the 5e rules.

Lantern Wight

Medium undead, neutral evil

Armor Class 14 (studded leather)

Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27)

Speed 30 ft.

STR

15 (+2)

DEX

14 (+2)

CON

16 (+3)

INT

10 (+0)

WIS

13 (+1)

CHA

15 (+2)

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4

Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13

Languages the languages it knew in life

Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Proficiency Bonus +2

Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the wight has disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Soul Lantern. When a creature dies within 30 feet of the wight, its lantern flares and the wight regains 10 hit points.

Actions

Multiattack. The wight makes one Longsword attack and one Lantern Drain attack.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage.

Lantern Drain. Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 30 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by the damage taken until it finishes a long rest.

Lantern wights were lamplighters in a city that stopped paying them. They still walk the old routes at dusk, and every lantern they light burns with someone’s last breath.

Undead Monster design tips

Undead work best when they are tied to something: a grave, a promise, a crime. Put that in your description — “a drowned bride who still waits on the pier” — and the generator turns it into traits such as sunlight sensitivity, turn resistance or a way to return after being destroyed.

Mechanically, 5e undead almost always have poison immunity and immunity to the poisoned and exhaustion conditions, and many resist necrotic damage. Corporeal undead hit hard and soak damage; incorporeal ones resist nonmagical weapons and move through walls, so low-level parties need magic or radiant damage to deal with them.

For a horror one-shot, keep the CR low and give the creature a life-drain attack that reduces maximum hit points: it makes every hit feel like it matters without killing anyone in round one.

Give it somewhere to live

The free map generator draws the lair, cave or ruin, with a grid, hazards and a key of locations.

Open the map generator

Frequently Asked Questions

What immunities do undead have in 5e?

Most undead are immune to poison damage and to the poisoned condition, and many are also immune to exhaustion and to being charmed or frightened. Many resist necrotic damage, and incorporeal undead often resist nonmagical weapon damage.

What CR undead should I use for a level 1 party?

Stay at CR 1/4 to 1 for a single undead against four 1st-level characters. A pair of CR 1/4 zombies or skeletons is an easy fight; a single CR 1 ghoul is a medium fight on paper and feels harder because its claws can paralyse.

Can I generate a lich or other boss undead?

Yes. Describe the lich and set a high CR (lichs are traditionally CR 21). High-CR undead get spellcasting, Legendary Resistance and legendary actions.

Does the generator include turn resistance?

If it suits the creature. Undead tied to a place or a powerful master often get advantage on saves against turn undead, and that shows up as a trait in the stat block.

Is the undead generator free?

Yes, with no account required and a small daily allowance. Create a free account to keep going and save your undead to your world.

More free D&D generators

LoreKeeper’s other free generators build the place and the people around your monster, and a free account keeps everything together in one world.

More free generators

Monster Generator

Any creature, any CR: the full monster generator with the CR reference table.

NPC & Character Generator

Generate the villain behind the monster, or the hunter on its trail.

Map Generator

Draw the lair, dungeon or region with a grid you can play on.

Create a free account to keep everything

Get weekly GM tips and generator updates

Join the LoreKeeper newsletter. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.