top of page
LL Logo Web.png

Necrotic damage is a powerful and deadly force, capable of draining the life force from creatures and leaving them weakened and vulnerable. In the world of TTRPGs, spells that deal necrotic damage are often associated with dark magic, evil creatures, and necromancers who seek to control the forces of death and decay. In combat encounters, a well-placed necrotic spell can strike fear into the hearts of even the bravest adventurers. In this blog post, I have put together ten short descriptions of an enemy being hit with necrotic damage. Hopefully, you can use these to take a bit of the strain off of running combat in your game. These descriptions are designed to be read aloud by during combat encounters. So, steel your nerves and prepare for the worst as we delve into the dark and terrifying world of necrotic damage!

Even if you only use Wizards of the Coast materials, there are A LOT of different spells in the game. I have tried to make things as generic as possible but if these just aren't working, consider asking your player to describe the effects of their spell on the target.

Roll

Description

1

Your enemy convulses as necrotic energy infects its body, causing its veins to writhe like snakes under its skin.

2

Your dark magic engulfs the enemy, and for a moment, you swear you can hear the faint sound of whispering voices emanating from within its body as it clutches its head in pain.

3

Your enemy lets out a bloodcurdling scream as necrotic energy causes its body to twist and contort in unnatural ways.

4

You watch in horror as the enemy's flesh seems to liquefy and run like water under the weight of your necrotic magic.

5

Your enemy's eyes bulge out of its head as your necrotic energy corrupts its brain, causing it to babble incoherently.

6

You enemy's skin begins to ripple and pulse as your necrotic energy forces it to reshape and reform.

7

The enemy's screams turn to gurgles as your necrotic energy consumes it from the inside out, causing it to choke on its own decayed flesh.

8

Your necrotic magic causes the enemy's skin to burst open, unleashing a swarm of writhing maggots and worms.

9

As necrotic energy strikes the enemy, it lets out a deafening screech, and you swear you can see a ghostly apparition of its soul trying to escape its body before being dragged back in by the dark magic.

10

Your enemy's skin becomes transparent, and you can see its internal organs shriveling and decaying under your dark magic.

This post, like all of my work, is brought to you by the patrons of the Lorelock! Become a patron at patreon.com/lorelock or subscribe to the Lorelock Newsletter for a free 5e adventure, weekly DM tools, and much more!





Radiant damage is a powerful and awe-inspiring force in the world of fantasy TTRPGs. This type of damage is associated with divine magic and holy energy, making it a favorite of paladins, clerics, and other champions of the light. When radiant damage hits, a good description can really draw in a player and help them to build their character and contribute to the story. As a GM, describing these effects in detail can add an extra layer of excitement to your combat encounters. It can also be really hard to come up with on the fly. In this post, I have put together a few quick descriptions that you can reference in game. My goal is to help take some of the mental load off of running combat so that you can focus on creating an exciting story with your party.

Even if you only use Wizards of the Coast materials, there are A LOT of different spells in the game. I have tried to make things as generic as possible but if these just aren't working, consider asking your player to describe the effects of their spell on the target.

Roll

Description

1

The radiant spell courses through your enemy's body, causing their veins to glow with an otherworldly light.

2

As the radiant energy hits, your foe's skin crackles with golden energy, leaving behind a faint, glowing residue.

3

The radiant energy engulfs your enemy in a torrent of holy fire, leaving their skin charred and blackened.

4

The radiant energy sears through your enemy, leaving behind a glowing imprint that marks their body with the symbol of your god.

5

The radiant energy sears through your enemy's flesh, leaving behind a shimmering, golden outline of their form.

6

A burst of radiant energy explodes upon contact with your foe, illuminating the area around them and briefly illuminating them from the inside.

7

The radiant spell rips through your enemy, leaving behind a trail of sparking, divine energy in its wake.

8

Your foe is struck by a beam of radiant energy, and for a moment, they seem to glow with a brilliant, otherworldly light.

9

The radiant energy surges through your enemy, illuminating the area around them with a brilliant glow that persists for several moments.

10

The radiant spell hits your enemy like a divine hammer, knocking them back and leaving behind a smoldering aura.

This post, like all of my work, is brought to you by the patrons of the Lorelock! Become a patron at patreon.com/lorelock or subscribe to the Lorelock Newsletter for a free 5e adventure, weekly DM tools, and much more!





This 5e monster was created as a collaboration with my friend Liminal Artifact for their upcoming Kickstarter.

Liminal Artifact knows the fearful truths of angels — find Inquisitor Kada’s Exquisite Corpse on Kickstarter launching May 1st:





This post, like all of my work, is brought to you by the patrons of the Lorelock! Become a patron at patreon.com/lorelock or subscribe to the Lorelock Newsletter for a free 5e adventure, weekly DM tools, and much more!

Lorelock Footer C.png
Lorelock Footer C-moshed-09-18-16-03-06-275.png
Lorelock Logo White.png
bottom of page