Orcus

The wand has 7 charges, and any of its properties that require a saving throw have a save DC of 18. While holding it, Orcus can use an action to cast animate dead, blight, or speak with dead. Alternatively, he can expend 1 or more of the wand's charges to cast one of the following spells from it: circle of death (1 charge), finger of death (1 charge), or power word kill (2 charges). The wand regains 1d4 + 3 charges daily at dawn.

While holding the wand, Orcus can use an action to conjure undead creatures whose combined average hit points don't exceed 500. These undead magically rise up from the ground or otherwise form in unoccupied spaces within 300 feet of Orcus and obey his commands until they are destroyed or until he dismisses them as an action. Once this property of the wand is used, the property can't be used again until the next dawn.

If Orcus fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

3/DAY

Orcus has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Orcus's weapon attacks are magical.

When Orcus casts animate dead or create undead, he chooses the level at which the spell is cast, and the creatures created by the spells remain under his control indefinitely. Additionally, he can cast create undead even when it isn't night.

Orcus's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 23, +15 to hit with spell attacks). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

• At will: chill touch (17th level), detect magic
• 1/day: time stop
• 3/day each: create undead, dispel magic

Orcus makes two Wand of Orcus attacks.

Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage plus 13 (2d12) necrotic damage.

Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d8 + 8) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) poison damage.

Orcus can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Orcus regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

3/TURN

Orcus makes one tail attack.

Orcus casts chill touch (17th level).

Orcus chooses a point on the ground that he can see within 100 feet of him. A cylinder of swirling necrotic energy 60 feet tall and with a 10-foot radius rises from that point and lasts until the end of Orcus's next turn. Creatures in that area have vulnerability to necrotic damage.

If a creature goes mad in Orcus's lair or within line of sight of the demon lord, roll on the Madness of Orcus table to determine the nature of the madness, which is a character flaw that lasts until cured. See the Dungeon Master's Guide for more on madness.

Madness of Orcus:

On Initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Orcus can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects: he can't use the same effect two rounds in a row:

• Orcus's voice booms throughout the lair. His utterance causes one creature of his choice to be subjected to power word kill. Orcus needn't see the creature, but he must be aware that the individual is in the lair.

• Orcus causes up to six corpses within the lair to rise as skeleton, zombie, or ghoul. These undead obey his telepathic commands, which can reach anywhere in the lair.

• Orcus causes skeletal arms to rise from an area on the ground in a 20-foot square that he can see. They last until the next initiative count 20. Each creature in that area when the arms appear must succeed on a DC 23 Strength saving throw or be restrained until the arms disappear or until Orcus releases their grasp (no action required).

The region containing Orcus's lair is warped by his magic, creating one or more of the following effects:

• Dead beasts periodically animate as undead mockeries of their former selves. Skeletal and zombie versions of local wildlife are commonly seen in the area.

• The air becomes filled with the stench of rotting flesh, and buzzing flies grow thick within the region, even when there is no carrion to be found.

• If a humanoid spends at least 1 hour within 1 mile of the lair, that creature must succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw or descend into a madness determined by the Madness of Orcus table. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw can't be affected by this regional effect again for 24 hours.

If Orcus dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10 days.