Beskud

Medium undead, lawful evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Hit Points 161 (17d8 + 85)

Speed 40 ft.

STR 22 (+6) · DEX 18 (+4) · CON 20 (+5) · INT 14 (+2) · WIS 16 (+3) · CHA 16 (+3)

Saving Throws Str +10, Dex +8, Con +9, Wis +7

Skills Athletics +10, Perception +7, Stealth +8, Survival +7

Damage Resistances Necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities Poison

Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Poisoned

Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17

Languages Common; telepathy 120 ft. (with other Beskuds)

Challenge 9

Traits

Keen Sight. The Beskud has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Magic Resistance. The Beskud has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Salt-Hardened Hide. The Beskud's hardened skin grants it resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered. Critical hits against the Beskud become normal hits unless the weapon is silvered.

Night Predator. During nighttime or stormy weather, the Beskud has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and initiative rolls.

Telepathic Bond. The Beskud can communicate telepathically with any other Beskud, regardless of distance, as long as they are on the same plane of existence.

Actions

Multiattack. The Beskud makes two attacks, either with its Claws or its Greatsword.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.

Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) slashing damage.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature that is grappled by the Beskud, incapacitated, or restrained.

Hit: 9 (1d6 + 6) piercing damage plus 21 (6d6) necrotic damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the Beskud regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain in this way does not rise as a vampire.

Terrifying Glare. The Beskud targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see the Beskud's eyes, the target must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. The frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Reactions

Parry. The Beskud adds +4 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the Beskud must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.

### Tactics

Beskuds prefer to strike under the cover of night, especially during storms, using their Night Predator trait to their advantage. They employ stealth to approach targets undetected and rely on their formidable physical prowess in combat.

They will focus on eliminating perceived threats, often singling out the strongest-looking opponents first. The Bite attack is used to weaken foes and heal themselves, making them even more challenging to defeat.

Their Salt-Hardened Hide makes them resistant to most physical attacks, compelling adversaries to use silvered weapons to bypass their defenses.

### Weaknesses

Silver Vulnerability. Weapons that are silvered ignore the Beskud's resistance to nonmagical attacks and allow critical hits as normal.

No Regeneration. Unlike typical vampires, Beskuds do not regenerate, making any damage dealt particularly valuable.

Sure! Below are two updated stat blocks for the Beskud, adjusted to challenge two heroes at levels 15 and 20, respectively, with hard difficulty. These versions of the Beskud are more powerful, incorporating increased abilities and features suitable for higher-level characters.

Lore

A lesser-known type of vampire, voluntarily cursed and distinguished by cat-like eyes.

Beskuds are perhaps the least-known variety of vampires; few have encountered this name, but ancient legends preserve records of these creatures. A distinctive feature of these vampires is their "cat's eyes"—slit pupils that react sharply to light—along with gray skin and triangular teeth. According to stories, their population is very small—about six individuals. It's said that they communicate telepathically, regardless of the distance between them.

Sources claim that the Beskuds originated in the northwestern part of the Carpathians, in a region called the Beskids, with the first mention of them dating back to the 1st century AD. According to chronicles, this region was home to one of the strongest tribes in Eastern Europe—the Beskids. They won all battles against neighboring tribes and killed all who attacked them. For the deceased or those killed in battle, they performed burial rituals in caves, where the bodies were covered with salt. Delving deeper into the tribe's history reveals a disturbing ritual they practiced: the strongest warriors voluntarily agreed to a death rite. What kind of witchcraft or magic was used remains unknown, but after the ritual, these bodies were also placed in the cave in a special spot and covered with salt. The Beskids believed that these warriors would rise to protect the tribe in case of a serious attack or if someone sought to enslave them.

From The Witchwood Bestiary 5E, p. 28 · Fern Flower Press