Skip to main content

Cairnwight

Huge Undead · Neutral · CR 9

  • Undead
  • Huge
  • Tier 2
  • Neutral

As a huge undead (neutral), Cairnwight carries CR 9. Common in any and underground environments.

Stat Block

Challenge Rating
9
Type
Undead
Size
Huge
Alignment
Neutral
Speed
40
Habitats
Any, Underground
Sources

Ecology

Cairnwight is a creature that has crossed the threshold of death; its continued presence is itself a violation of natural law. It is most often found in underground regions. It is huge-sized, which shapes how it hunts, hides, or fights.

Behaviour

Cairnwight is haunted by what it was in life; its goals echo old grievances or the will of the necromancer who raised it. Its Neutral alignment shapes how it engages with the world — predictable in tendency, even when unpredictable in detail. It is intelligent enough to plan, scheme, or remember.

Origin

Cairnwight appears in published 5e bestiaries. Undead are the wounds the Negative Plane leaves on the mortal world — every undead has a death story behind it. Within a campaign, its existence anchors a region with the kind of weight only an old, named species carries.

CR 9 monstersAll UndeadsAnyUnderground

Related Monsters

Frequently Asked Questions about Cairnwight

What is the challenge rating of Cairnwight?
On the bestiary CR scale, Cairnwight sits at 9. It matches tier-2 to early-tier-3 encounter math.
What type of creature is Cairnwight?
By creature type, Cairnwight is a undead, huge size, neutral alignment.
Where does Cairnwight live?
Cairnwight's listed habitats include Any, Underground.
Share
Scan to open Cairnwight on your phone
QR code linking to Cairnwight — https://www.doungim.com/dnd/monsters/cairnwight Scannable QR code encoding the URL https://www.doungim.com/dnd/monsters/cairnwight. Point a phone camera at this code to open the Cairnwight page on your mobile device — useful at the table when a DM's laptop or a printed sheet is showing the page.
Scannable QR code encoding the URL https://www.doungim.com/dnd/monsters/cairnwight. Point a phone camera at this code to open the Cairnwight page on your mobile device — useful at the table when a DM's laptop or a printed sheet is showing the page.