Dungeons & Dragons is a Role-Playing Game that has been around since the 1970s. Starting as a wargame, it began to change little by little until it was something else entirely. The game even moved away so much from its roots that entire sessions could be completely played without miniatures. No board was needed, only the players’ imagination and sets of weird dice.
The popular game kept changing and becoming more interesting. Fantasy Elements were added to it, different kinds of characters, races, monsters and so much more. There are several interesting creatures that players can end up having to fight, and some have been around since the first edition of Dungeons & Dragons.
One of those creatures that have been around for a long time is the Bodak. Originally from the Shadowfell, this creature has appeared in every single Dungeons & Dragons edition that has existed so far. Although it changed a lot after the first, and then again after the 4th Edition, it’s generally the same undead creature.
8 What Are Bodaks?
Bodaks are an undead creature that players have to find. As fans will know, there are different ways for the undead to be made. There are ghosts who refused to die, there are ghosts who were denied rest, and there are cursed people who became terrible creatures for eating the flesh of intelligent beings.
Then there are those who were just unfortunate to be killed, for whatever reason, by an evil lord of shadows. This is how Bodaks are generally created.
7 Bodaks Are Just Unlucky People
According to the Monster Manual from Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition, the Bodaks were humanoid beings who were killed by such great evil that death is denied to them. As a result, they turn into this hairless thing, devoid of personality and personal will.
In this state, they hunt living beings and do their evil master’s bidding. A creature that has the power to raise Bodaks is the Nightcrawler, one of the most powerful undead creatures in Dungeons & Dragons.
6 Its Mind Is Not Completely Gone
Perhaps the saddest thing about Bodaks is that they can sometimes be reminded of what they were and the life they once had. If it becomes too risky to kill a Bodak or if a Bodak is too close to killing someone, showing something related to the creature’s past life might make it stop for a while.
It is likely that by being reminded of who they once were, they will be confused and stunned. This does not last long, though. Bodaks will eventually just return to their behavior of evil, kinda intelligent, undead creatures.
5 Death Is The Only Option For Bodaks
There’s no known way of turning a Bodak back into a person, so perhaps killing it is the best thing any adventurer can do for such a creature. It is important to notice that a Bodak is, after all, an undead creature.
This means that its rest after death was denied. On top of that, it is a very powerful creature that can easily slay dozens of people.
4 They Are Much More Dangerous Than They Look
The curse is strong in those creatures. They are much more than your regular undead. In D&D 5th Edition, their intelligence score is 7. That alone shows that they can be a bit more dangerous than mindless zombies who just want to slam you.
Bodaks are capable of thinking, even though they might not be the brightest beings. Many adventurers meet their doom when facing Bodaks as if they were the usual, mindless creatures that necromancers raise from their graves. They might not be as smart and resourceful as a lich, but it does not mean they are not to be taken seriously.
3 They Possess Unique Abilities Like Soul Gazing
Besides being smarter, stronger, and more resistant, they also have special abilities. Bodak’s can gaze into one’s soul, causing great harm to the victim. Weaker beings are instantly killed by the Bodak’s death gaze. It is said that those who survive the death gaze are taken by nightmares and visions of their own death.
A Bodak’s death gaze has another dangerous property. There’s a chance that those who were killed by this creature’s death gaze will also turn into another mindless, dangerous Bodak. On top of all that, the mere presence of a Bodak is harmful to those around it. Its terrifying aura of death is capable of injuring and eventually killing any creature that remains close to it for long enough.
2 Bodaks In Combat
Not much is needed for unwise and inexperienced adventures to perish when battling this undead creature. Thankfully, they are rarely seen outside the Shadowfell. Unless summoned, Bodaks will not show up in the prime material plane. However, if they are, adventurers will have to deal with its death gaze and aura of death.
Generally, they are not as aggressive as other undead can be. Bodaks will use the death gaze and wait for it to work. Although they were portraited in the first edition as shadows carrying axes, they generally do not use any armor or weapon. An experienced group might have trouble fighting this creature if they are not careful, so new adventurers should try their best to stay away from such being.
1 Beware The Bodak Reaver
There is an ever more dangerous type of Bodak, though. Reavers are much more powerful variants of this creature. They wield weapons, generally axes, and wear armors for combat. They also have the same immunities and resistances a normal Bodak has for being undead.
On top of better weaponry and protection, they also use their death gaze and still have an aura of death.
NEXT: Dungeons & Dragons: 10 Best Pieces Of Adventuring Gear
