Kelemvor, Lord of the Dead — CR 30 Avatar Stat Block

The Avatar of Kelemvor

Medium humanoid (avatar), lawful neutral

Armor Class: 25 (divine armor)
Hit Points: 690 (60d10 + 360)
Speed: 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
28 (+9)	20 (+5)	26 (+8)	22 (+6)	25 (+7)	26 (+8)

Saving Throws: Str +18, Con +17, Wis +16, Cha +17
Skills: Insight +16, Intimidation +17, Perception +16, Religion +15
Damage Resistances: radiant, psychic
Damage Immunities: necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities: charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, stunned
Senses: truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 26
Languages: all, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge: 30 (155,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus: +9

Traits

Bane of the Undead. Kelemvor’s weapon attacks against undead score a critical hit on a roll of 18–20. Undead have disadvantage on saving throws against his features.

Judge of the Damned. Kelemvor knows whether a creature he sees is undead, has been resurrected, or contains a soul that is not its own. Illusions and shapechanging cannot conceal these facts from him.

Aura of Final Rest. A hostile undead that starts its turn within 60 feet makes a DC 25 Charisma saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) radiant damage and becoming frightened until the start of its next turn on a failure. An undead of CR 10 or lower that fails by 10 or more is destroyed.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Kelemvor fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

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

Judgment of the Faithless (Mythic Trait; 1/Day). When Kelemvor is first reduced to 345 hit points or fewer, radiant chains surround him. He regains 200 hit points, and Aura of Final Rest expands to 120 feet for 1 minute.

Actions

Multiattack. Kelemvor makes three Sword of Passing attacks.

Sword of Passing. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 31 (4d10 + 9) slashing damage plus 27 (6d8) radiant damage. An undead target must succeed on a DC 25 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of Kelemvor’s next turn.

Final Judgment. One creature within 10 feet that has 150 hit points or fewer makes a DC 25 Charisma saving throw. On a failure it drops to 0 hit points. On a success it takes 45 (10d8) radiant damage.

Sever the Unnatural (Recharge 5–6). Each hostile undead within 60 feet makes a DC 25 Charisma saving throw, taking 72 (16d8) radiant damage on a failure, or half as much on a success. A living creature of Kelemvor’s choice in the area instead takes 27 (6d8) radiant damage.

Reactions

Grave Verdict. When a creature within 30 feet reduces a living creature to 0 hit points, Kelemvor makes one Sword of Passing attack against the attacker or forces an undead attacker to make a DC 25 Charisma saving throw, destroying it on a failure.

Legendary Actions

The avatar can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. It regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Attack. Kelemvor makes one Sword of Passing attack.

Condemn Undead. One undead within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 25 Charisma saving throw or be banished to the Fugue Plane until the end of Kelemvor’s next turn.

Judgment Day (Costs 3 Actions). Each hostile creature within 60 feet makes a DC 25 Charisma saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Undead have disadvantage on this save.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the avatar uses one lair action. It cannot use the same option two rounds in a row.

Grave Soil Buckles. The ground heaves in a 30-foot-radius area within 120 feet. Creatures of Kelemvor’s choice must succeed on a DC 25 Strength saving throw or be restrained until initiative count 20 on the next round.

Eternal Silence. Creatures of Kelemvor’s choice within 60 feet cannot speak or provide verbal spell components until initiative count 20 on the next round.

Soul Chains. One undead within 120 feet must succeed on a DC 25 Charisma saving throw or be incapacitated and restrained until initiative count 20 on the next round.

Mythic Actions

The avatar can take 3 mythic actions per day, using one option at a time. It regains spent uses at dawn.

Weigh the Soul (Costs 2 Actions). One creature within 60 feet that has created or commanded undead must succeed on a DC 25 Charisma saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.

Chains of the Faithless (Costs 2 Actions). Up to three undead, or creatures that cast a necromancy spell in the last 24 hours, must succeed on a DC 25 Strength saving throw or be restrained until the end of their next turn.

Final Sentence (Costs 3 Actions). One undead within 30 feet makes a DC 25 Charisma saving throw, dropping to 0 hit points on a failure or taking 66 (12d10) radiant damage on a success.

Introduction

Kelemvor, the Lord of the Dead and Judge of the Damned, governs death, the dead, and the passage of souls. Once a mortal warrior, he rejects the terror and caprice associated with earlier gods of death. His judgment is stern, orderly, and intended to place each soul where it belongs.

Doomguides conduct funerals, comfort the dying, protect graves, and destroy sentient undead. They teach that death is not a moral failure. Liches, soul merchants, and necromancers who make people into tools are the faith’s principal enemies.

Kelemvor sends an avatar when a necromantic plague spreads, souls are diverted from the Fugue Plane, or repeated resurrection has become a weapon of state. He first restores the passage of the dead. Judgment of those responsible follows.

Physical Appearance

The avatar resembles a tall mortal warrior with a square jaw, piercing green eyes, and dark hair touched by gray. Practical chain armor and black leathers replace ceremonial plate. A cat’s-eye jewel set in his broad belt watches with a narrow green pupil.

He carries the Sword of Passing and a pale bone rod. Spectral scales appear when he hears testimony. His voice is level and unhurried, while undead nearby hear it as earth striking a coffin lid.

Roleplaying the Avatar

Kelemvor wants plain facts and an orderly accounting. He is compassionate toward fear of death but merciless toward anyone who turns souls or corpses into property.

Ask for the sequence of events, not a justification.
Never threaten. State what judgment will occur.
Correct euphemisms such as “materials” when the speaker means corpses.
Allow the dying time for one final message.
Treat surrender by a living foe seriously and surrender by a sentient undead as a request for final rest.

Use in a Campaign

The Empty Fugue

Souls from one city no longer reach judgment. Kelemvor deputizes the party to follow the missing dead through a stolen funerary gate.

The King’s Ninth Life

A beloved ruler has been resurrected too often and now draws other souls back with him. The avatar demands a final death while the realm begs for delay.

Trial at the Crystal Spire

The party must present testimony for a dead enemy whose knowledge is needed before Kelemvor assigns the soul to its fate.

No Rest for the Righteous

A militant church raises fallen heroes after every battle. Kelemvor blocks the next resurrection and requires a mortal plan that does not spend the same lives repeatedly.

Lairs

Kelemvor’s lairs suppress necromancy and expose the condition of souls. Sound falls away, spectral witnesses gather at the edge of sight, and doors open toward the place a creature most fears being judged.

The Crystal Antechamber

A hall on the Fugue Plane sorts arriving souls while hostile outsiders attempt to remove one witness before judgment.

The Quiet Necropolis

Every grave is intact, but the names have been removed. Recovering a name lets its owner speak once.

The Last Mortuary

A city under necromantic quarantine depends on Doomguides who can no longer keep the dead still after sunset.

The Sealed Ossuary

A bone vault contains no undead, yet every attempt to open it shortens the life of the person holding the key.

Shared References

Open a reference for its canonical description and related entries.