Getting More from 5E D&D Monsters — Mage’s Echo

When a spellcaster dies, sometimes a part of their soul lingers behind with the body rather than moving on to its final resting place. These imprints are called mage’s echoes. These undead monsters appear in Wizard’s Wake, one of the digital fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons products we create for Patreon supporters and later for Nerdarchy the Store. Here you’ll find expanded 5E D&D content inspired by these haunting spirits along with the stat block as it appears in the book ready to drop into your games.

Mage’s Echo for 5E D&D

Medium undead, any alignment

Armor Class 15

Hit Points 72 (16d8)

Speed 30 ft.

• Strength 7 (-2)
• Dexterity 13 (+1)
• Constitution 10 (+0)
• Intelligence 16 (+3)
• Wisdom 12 (+1)
• Charisma 17 (+3)

Damage Resistances Acid, Fire, Lightning, Thunder; Bludgeoning, Piercing and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks

Damage Immunities Cold, Necrotic, Poison

Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained

Senses darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11

Languages Any languages it knew in life

Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Ethereal Sight. The mage’s echo can see 60 feet into the ethereal plane when it’s on the material plane and vice versa.

Incorporeal Movement. The mage’s echo can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Abrasive Soul. Creatures that begin their turns within 5 feet of the mage’s echo take 5 (1d10) psychic damage.

Actions

Reverberation. Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 44 (8d10) psychic damage.

Spirit Tether (Recharge 5-6). Creatures within 60 feet of the mage’s echo must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be pulled up to 10 feet closer to the mage’s echo.

Optional Traits and Actions

Making these changes does not affect the challenge rating of mage’s echo.

Imprint (Recharge 6). The mage’s echo attempts to magically possess a spellcaster. One creature with the Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature the mage’s echo can see within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 16 Charisma saving throw or be possessed by the mage’s echo, which then disappears. The target is incapacitated and loses control of its body. The mage’s echo now controls the body but doesn’t deprive the target of awareness. The mage’s echo can’t be targeted by any attack, spell or other effect except ones that turn undead and it retains its alignment, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma and immunity to being charmed and frightened. It otherwise uses the possessed target’s statistics but doesn’t gain access to the target’s knowledge, class features or proficiencies.

The possession lasts until the body drops to 0 hit points, the mage’s echo ends it as a bonus action or the mage’s echo is turned or forced out by an effect like the dispel evil and good spell. When the possession ends the mage’s echo reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the body. The target is immune to this mage’s echo’s Imprint for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw or after the possession ends.

Echoes of the Past (1/Day). The mage’s echo manifests a memory of its former existence as a living spellcaster. As a bonus action the mage’s echo causes the terrain in a 30 foot cube to be filled with an illusory scene that looks, sounds, smells and even feels real. The manifest area lasts for 1 hour and is considered lightly obscured.

The tactile characteristics of the terrain are unchanged, so creatures entering the area are likely to see through the illusion. If the difference isn’t obvious by touch, a creature carefully examining the illusion can attempt a DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check to disbelieve it. A creature who discerns the illusion for what it is sees it as a vague image superimposed on the terrain.

New Magic Item

This magic item is inspired by the mage’s echo monster found in Wizard’s Wake.

Ring of Mage’s Echo

Ring, rare (requires attunement)

This magic ring adorned with a rune representing one of the eight schools of magic contains a fragment of arcane power imbued by the soul of the spellcaster who wore it when they died. While wearing this ring you gain the ability to draw on this magical power to cast one spell closely associated with that school of magic as shown in the Mage’s Echo Spells table. You can also cast these spells using spell slots you have of the appropriate level.

The fragment of the spellcaster’s soul contained in a ring of mage’s echo can telepathically communicate with any creature wearing it. A wearer can’t prevent this telepathic communication. [Protip: Keep this property to yourself, Dungeon Master. It makes a great way to break state whenever needed!]

A ring has 2 charges and it regains 1d2 expended charges daily at dawn. While wearing it you can expend 1 charge to cast the associated spell.

Mage’s Echo Spells

Abjuration. Globe of invulnerability

Conjuration. Drawmij’s instant summons

Divination. True seeing

Enchantment. Otto’s irresistible dance

Evocation. Chain lightning

Illusion. Programmed illusion

Necromancy. Eyebite

Transmutation. Flesh to stone

Mage’s Echo Adventure Hooks

• A magical individual known to the party acts strangely. They speak in an unknown language, pick up a strange hobby and otherwise behave out of character. The unusual behavior remains innocuous until they prepare to embark on an expedition to dangerous ruins nearby. As it turns out a mage’s echo possessed the spell caster and seeks to return to the place it perished centuries ago.
• Ever since the party defeated the big bad evil thing from their last quest one of the adventurers began hearing a voice inside their head. The voice whispers encouragement to seek out knowledge and uncover secrets. The party might figure out the voice comes from the powerful magic ring they found but then what?

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