Another week, another encounter with the shambling dead. No one ever said being an adventurer was clean nor glamorous- but it pays well. Clearing out a zombie infestation came with a good payday, but damn it proved harder than expected. The blame lay on one particular zombie carrying a rusty, old scythe. Every time it cut down a hero, the shamblers around got stronger. So, you decided to take it out. Killing the lead zombie wasn't easy, they were as tough as they come, but when it fell another zombie shambled from the scythe. You snatched the weapon up only to find it sticking to your hands. Its blade sprouted teeth, its shaft eyes. Roll for initiative.

A true terror, the reaping mimic is driven by the same instincts as the zombies it controls - hunger. The first of its ilk developed in a region plagued with undeath and thus bereft of the living. It grew sick of rotting food and shifted its focus on locomotion instead of ambush tactics. The mimic fostered a connection with the abundant zombies through shared hunger. It found a way to control one, direct many, and bolster this shambling fodder. While it got locked into a scythe, the mimic is happy where it's at now as its necromantic powers continue to grow and its spawn have started their zombie hordes of their very own.

Reaping Mimic

Medium undead (shapechanger), neutral

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)

67 (9d8 + 27)

Speed 15 ft

Str 16 Dex 12 Con 17 Int 3 Wis 16 Cha 8

Skills Stealth +5

Damage Immunities acid, necrotic, poison

Condition Immunities frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, prone

Sensesdarkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 13

Languages -

4 (1,100 XP) Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Shapechanger.

The mimic can use its action to polymorph into a magical scythe or back into its true, amorphous form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.

Adhesive (Object Form Only).

The mimic adheres to anything that touches it. A Huge or smaller creature adhered to the mimic is also grappled by it (escape DC 14). Ability checks made to escape this grapple have disadvantage.

False Appearance (Object Form Only).

While the mimic remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary magical scythe.

Grappler.

The mimic mimic has advantage on attack rolls against any creature grappled by it.

Harvest.

Whenever the mimic kills a creature, all undead creatures within 30ft of the mimic and not at 0 hit points, regain hit points equal to that creature's Hit Dice. The mimic gains advantage on all of its attacks until the end of its next turn. If the mimic is in object form, its wielder gains advantage on of its attacks as well for the same time frame.

Scarecrow (Object Form Only).

When carried by a creature with Undead Fortitude, the mimic controls that creature's actions with the creature acting on the same Initiative as the mimic. In turn, that creature gains advantage on its Undead Fortitude saving throws. If the mimic is not held by a creature, it may choose a creature with Undead Fortitude it can see within 20ft. That creature must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom save or use its next turn to pick up the mimic.

Magic Weapons.

The mimic's weapon attacks are magical. In object form, it is considered a +1 Scythe.

Actions

Pseudopod.

Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the mimic is in object form, the target is subjected to its Adhesive trait.

Bite.

Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 9 (9d8) acid damage.

Scythe (Recharge 5-6).

The mimic projects spinning, spectral, scythes a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 17 (5d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.